Frogner Park

We've visited this 115-acre park three times now. It is a 20-minute walk from our apartment along two shop-lined streets that run through a very affluent part of Oslo. It is the most visited park in all of Norway. Supposedly, it is so beloved by Norwegians that no one commits vandalism here and no police presence is required.

The reason it is so beloved, and also why it is the best known of Norway's parks in other countries, is because of the hundreds of bronze and marble statues by Gustav Vigeland, Norway's most famous sculptor (who designed the Nobel prize medal). He worked for decades on the sculpture garden, which could explain the differences in the styles of the statues, if some were done at earlier times than others. The city of Oslo gave him a house and studio in the park (they are now a museum); in return, Vigeland donated all of his work to the city.

Here is a view of the park from the top of the sculpture garden. (The iron gates were also designed by Vigeland.)

Here is a sampling of the massive statues that line the bridge that leads up to the fountain (the part of the park that Vigeland first conceived).

At each end of the bridge, on either side, are even larger statues that show either a man or woman in struggle with a serpent. Early in his career, Vigeland helped restore a medieval church with serpent carvings and afterwards, the serpent became an important symbol in his work.

Here is the fountain. It is undergoing renovation and so the water has been turned off.  The fountain is surrounded by a low basin lined with bas-relief sculptures of people and animals.

Past the fountain are massive steps that are lined with equally massive statues. Again, a sampling:

And now, for the crowning sculpture: the monolith. It is 46 feet high and depicts 122 bodies, of all ages, in an apparent struggle to get to the top.

What was Vigeland's vision? What does it all mean?

You tell us!