The main gates towards Kirkeveien

You are now standing at the entrance of perhaps the world's most spectacular sculpture park executed by a single person, Gustav Vigeland. He didn't only design and shape the statues, but also the magnificent park and all artwork formed in wrought iron. The wrought iron art in Vigeland Park are thus independent works of art, and many people don't always realize that this too is part of Vigeland's art. The gates you see have three circular fields where the top and bottom circles have the same motif with eight radii radiating from the center. In the middle, you'll find a circular motif with lizard reliefs that vary on all the gates. The lizards have been recurring in Vigeland's art since he worked on the Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim. The ideas about lizards could have been inspired by the large dragon reliefs found in Norwegian stave churches, and in many ways represent the contrast to humans. With the lizards, there is a struggle to survive and they do not hesitate to take each other's lives. In 1928, Vigeland established a smithy outside his studio where his collaborator and art blacksmith Alfred Mikkelsen became the chief of the smithy. There were also five blacksmiths employed, in addition to twelve skilled craftsmen who worked as plasterers or stonecutters directly under Vigeland's competent leadership. Among the blacksmiths, Vigeland was nicknamed "The Master", and without a doubt, the monumental gates you see clearly show the excellent teamwork that must have prevailed during their production. Whether you are coming or going, I wish you a great journey ahead.