Information
Landmark: Big Ole Viking StatueCity: Alexandria MN
Country: USA Minnesota
Continent: North America
Big Ole Viking Statue, Alexandria MN, USA Minnesota, North America
Overview
Big Ole Viking Statue towers above Lake Agnes near downtown Alexandria Minnesota as a proud sentinel crafted from fiberglass.
Minnesota's quirky claim to Viking heritage rooted in Kensington Runestone's story makes it an enduring roadside attraction symbolizing controversy and nostalgia.
Physical description details a rather tall structure standing at 8.5 meters or 28 feet unusually made of fiberglass mounted rather rigidly on concrete base weighing approximately.
Gordon Schumaker a Minneapolis sculptor crafted 4-ton Big Ole in 1965 portraying a traditional Viking warrior fully armed.Big Ole wields a gold-hilted spear and dons a horned helmet perpetuating a historically inaccurate yet iconic Viking trope.A round shield emblazoned red and white bears the motto Alexandria: Birthplace of America.Knee-length tunic leather-style belt and boots complete the Viking attire.Big Ole stands sentinel facing north guarding land with both legendary and local significance.
Big Ole was commissioned ostensibly as part of Minnesota's exhibit rather haphazardly at 1965 New York World's Fair.
Statue was meant representing state's Nordic heritage and promotes idea Vikings explored America long before Columbus with quite some fanfare obviously.
Big Ole was carted off to Alexandria after the fair ended and became a permanent fixture deep within this peculiar Viking-America milieu.
Big Ole's existence stems largely from local significance attributed quite heavily to Kensington Runestone an artifact allegedly unearthed in 1898 near Kensington.
Norse explorers purportedly trekked deep inland into Minnesota over a century before Columbus ever set foot in Americas in 1362 supposedly.
Local conviction in its legitimacy stubbornly endures and it stays a revered cultural touchstone for folks around Alexandria area somehow.
Big Ole stands personifying belief proudly as a Viking whose gaze implies conquest and ferocious guardianship over supposed legacy in Minnesota.
Big Ole has been shuffled around pretty significantly over years and undergone some major renovations.
Its original spot was near Runestone Museum.
He was relocated near Lake Agnes along North Broadway Street in lakeside park during 1980s offering greater visibility and very scenic surroundings.
Strong winds brutally toppled him in nineteen ninety five causing quite severe damage afterwards.
He got fixed pretty quickly thanks largely to community fundraising efforts.
Since then city authorities have vigilantly ensured his preservation with meticulous routine maintenance and sporadic repainting done quite thoroughly afterwards.
Big Ole now sits pretty in a teensy public green space called Big Ole Central Park featuring utterly gorgeous views over Lake Agnes.Legacy of the Lakes Museum and Historic Downtown Alexandria are pretty nearby alongside public restrooms and parking aplenty.Flower beds and benches and picnic areas abound in this 55-mile bike and walking trail-adjacent haven.Festivals and markets and community hoopla erupt around the statue all year round making it a ripping attraction.
Big Ole looms over Alexandria city and embodies a rich cultural identity deeply rooted in local heritage surprisingly.
He embodies spirit of discovery and serves as mascot for town's Nordic heritage with quirky enthusiasm.
He pops up regularly in city branding logos souvenirs postcards community events like Vikingland Band Festival and Douglas County Fair displays.Seasonal getups adorn him with scarves in winter or masks during pandemic lockdowns.Big Ole appears in local tourism promotions travel blogs highlighting quirky Americana too.Controversy surrounds his legacy oddly.Despite popularity Big Ole carries degree of historical controversy firmly.
Motto Birthplace of America refers obliquely to some dubious theory largely dismissed by most serious historians nowadays.
Critics argue it reflects fanciful notions rather than verifiable evidence and overshadows native histories with dubious interpretations of archaeological records.
Big Ole isn't really about being historically spot on for locals and tourists.
He embodies folk hero status with unbridled flair showcasing community imagination pride and rich cultural narrative pretty effectively nowadays.
Best lighting for snapping pics occurs rather late in afternoon with lake behind Big Ole.
Combine a stop here with a visit across street to Runestone Museum.
Check if your visit overlaps with quirky Viking-themed happenings or vibrant downtown bashes and festivities in the area.
Statue remains accessible during winter months though lake and trail are frequently snow-covered and somewhat treacherous underfoot around that time.
Big Ole stands not just as a giant fiberglass figure but as a rather quirky symbol of Alexandria's thoroughly ingrained community identity rooted deeply in local legend.
He stands as gargantuan testament prompting introspection on myths upheld stories circulated and mannerisms tiny municipalities erect enduring monuments.
Minnesota's quirky claim to Viking heritage rooted in Kensington Runestone's story makes it an enduring roadside attraction symbolizing controversy and nostalgia.
Physical description details a rather tall structure standing at 8.5 meters or 28 feet unusually made of fiberglass mounted rather rigidly on concrete base weighing approximately.
Gordon Schumaker a Minneapolis sculptor crafted 4-ton Big Ole in 1965 portraying a traditional Viking warrior fully armed.Big Ole wields a gold-hilted spear and dons a horned helmet perpetuating a historically inaccurate yet iconic Viking trope.A round shield emblazoned red and white bears the motto Alexandria: Birthplace of America.Knee-length tunic leather-style belt and boots complete the Viking attire.Big Ole stands sentinel facing north guarding land with both legendary and local significance.
Big Ole was commissioned ostensibly as part of Minnesota's exhibit rather haphazardly at 1965 New York World's Fair.
Statue was meant representing state's Nordic heritage and promotes idea Vikings explored America long before Columbus with quite some fanfare obviously.
Big Ole was carted off to Alexandria after the fair ended and became a permanent fixture deep within this peculiar Viking-America milieu.
Big Ole's existence stems largely from local significance attributed quite heavily to Kensington Runestone an artifact allegedly unearthed in 1898 near Kensington.
Norse explorers purportedly trekked deep inland into Minnesota over a century before Columbus ever set foot in Americas in 1362 supposedly.
Local conviction in its legitimacy stubbornly endures and it stays a revered cultural touchstone for folks around Alexandria area somehow.
Big Ole stands personifying belief proudly as a Viking whose gaze implies conquest and ferocious guardianship over supposed legacy in Minnesota.
Big Ole has been shuffled around pretty significantly over years and undergone some major renovations.
Its original spot was near Runestone Museum.
He was relocated near Lake Agnes along North Broadway Street in lakeside park during 1980s offering greater visibility and very scenic surroundings.
Strong winds brutally toppled him in nineteen ninety five causing quite severe damage afterwards.
He got fixed pretty quickly thanks largely to community fundraising efforts.
Since then city authorities have vigilantly ensured his preservation with meticulous routine maintenance and sporadic repainting done quite thoroughly afterwards.
Big Ole now sits pretty in a teensy public green space called Big Ole Central Park featuring utterly gorgeous views over Lake Agnes.Legacy of the Lakes Museum and Historic Downtown Alexandria are pretty nearby alongside public restrooms and parking aplenty.Flower beds and benches and picnic areas abound in this 55-mile bike and walking trail-adjacent haven.Festivals and markets and community hoopla erupt around the statue all year round making it a ripping attraction.
Big Ole looms over Alexandria city and embodies a rich cultural identity deeply rooted in local heritage surprisingly.
He embodies spirit of discovery and serves as mascot for town's Nordic heritage with quirky enthusiasm.
He pops up regularly in city branding logos souvenirs postcards community events like Vikingland Band Festival and Douglas County Fair displays.Seasonal getups adorn him with scarves in winter or masks during pandemic lockdowns.Big Ole appears in local tourism promotions travel blogs highlighting quirky Americana too.Controversy surrounds his legacy oddly.Despite popularity Big Ole carries degree of historical controversy firmly.
Motto Birthplace of America refers obliquely to some dubious theory largely dismissed by most serious historians nowadays.
Critics argue it reflects fanciful notions rather than verifiable evidence and overshadows native histories with dubious interpretations of archaeological records.
Big Ole isn't really about being historically spot on for locals and tourists.
He embodies folk hero status with unbridled flair showcasing community imagination pride and rich cultural narrative pretty effectively nowadays.
Best lighting for snapping pics occurs rather late in afternoon with lake behind Big Ole.
Combine a stop here with a visit across street to Runestone Museum.
Check if your visit overlaps with quirky Viking-themed happenings or vibrant downtown bashes and festivities in the area.
Statue remains accessible during winter months though lake and trail are frequently snow-covered and somewhat treacherous underfoot around that time.
Big Ole stands not just as a giant fiberglass figure but as a rather quirky symbol of Alexandria's thoroughly ingrained community identity rooted deeply in local legend.
He stands as gargantuan testament prompting introspection on myths upheld stories circulated and mannerisms tiny municipalities erect enduring monuments.
