Ankerbrua is a bridge located in the district of

Grünerløkka Grünerløkka is a borough of the city of Oslo, Norway. Grünerløkka became part of the city of Oslo (then Christiania) in 1858. Grünerløkka was traditionally a working class district; however, since the late 20th century the area has increasi ...

Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...

History

Ankerbrua was built over the

Aker River Akerselva or Akerselven ( en, Aker River) is a river which flows through Oslo. It starts at Maridalsvannet in Oslomarka, and traverses the boroughs of Nordre Aker, Sagene, Grünerløkka, central Oslo and Grønland, whereby it finally ends at ...

(''Akerselva'') to serve as an extension of Torggata along

Ankertorget Ankertorget was a market square located in the city centre of Oslo, Norway. The property site lies between Torggata, Storgata, Hausmannsgate and the Akerselva. Ankertorget was developed between 1880–1882 and named after 18th century merch ...

with Søndre gate. The former wooden bridge was constructed in 1874. After several landslides on muddy terrain, it was demolished. It was replaced by the current structure in 1926, being made of Drammen granite from

Røyken Røyken is a district and village (''bygd'') and a former municipality in Buskerud in Viken County, Norway. In 2020 Røyken was merged with the municipalities of Hurum and Asker to form the new Asker Municipality (informally called "Greater Ask ...

. The walls of the bridge have an irregular pattern and rough surface in the

Art Nouveau style Art is a diverse range of human activity, and resulting product, that involves creative or imaginative talent expressive of technical proficiency, beauty, emotional power, or conceptual ideas. There is no generally agreed definition of what ...

. During plans to renovate the Grünerløkka borough in the 1960s, Ankerbrua was one of the few structures selected to be preserved. The bridge has been

nicknamed A nickname is a substitute for the proper name of a familiar person, place or thing. Commonly used to express affection, a form of endearment, and sometimes amusement, it can also be used to express defamation of character. As a concept, it is ...

the Fairytale Bridge (''Eventyrbrua'') due to its four sculptures, one in each corner. These sculptures were designed by Norwegian sculptor and artist,

Dyre Vaa Dyre Vaa (19 January 1903 – 11 May 1980) was a Norwegian sculptor and painter. Background He was born in Kviteseid, Telemark, and later lived and worked in Rauland. He was the son of Tor Aanundsson Vaa (1864–1928) and Anne Marie Roholt ...

. Cast from bronze in 1937, each figure represents a different Norwegian

folk hero A folk hero or national hero is a type of hero – real, fictional or mythological – with their name, personality and deeds embedded in the popular consciousness of a people, mentioned frequently in folk songs, folk tales and other folklore; ...

from

Norwegian Folktales ''Norwegian Folktales'' ( no, Norske folkeeventyr) is a collection of Norwegian folktales and legends by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe. It is also known as ''Asbjørnsen and Moe'', after the collectors. Asbjørnsen and Moe Asb ...

. The motifs are: *''

White-Bear-King-Valemon White-Bear-King-Valemon (''Kvitebjørn kong Valemon'') is a Norwegian fairy tale. The tale was published as No. 90 in Asbjørnsen and Moe's '' Norske Folke-Eventyr. Ny Samling'' (1871). George Webbe Dasent translated it for his ''Tales from th ...

'' (''Kvitebjørn kong Valemon)'' - a king who was cursed to spend his days as a polar bear after he refused to marry a wicked witch. *''

Per Gynt Per Gynt (, ) is a Norwegian fairy tale which originated in the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The story of Per Gynt is set in the historic district of Gudbrandsdal in Norway. Per Gynt's home in the folklore is traditionally claimed to h ...

'' - a legendary deer hunter from

Gudbrandsdalen Gudbrandsdalen (; en, Gudbrand Valley) is a valley and traditional district in the Norwegian county of Innlandet (formerly Oppland). The valley is oriented in a north-westerly direction from Lillehammer and the lake of Mjøsa, extending towa ...

. *''

Katie Woodencloak "Katie Woodencloak" or "Kari Woodengown" (originally "Kari Trestakk") is a Norwegian fairy tale collected by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe in '' Norske Folkeeventyr''. Andrew Lang included it in '' The Red Fairy Book''. It is A ...

'' (''Kari Trestakk'') - who escaped her evil stepmother on the back of a great blue ox. *'' Veslefrikk med fela'' - a young man who gets three wishes from a troll.

References

External links

''Peer Gynt'' statue by Dyre Vaa on Ankerbrua ''Kari Trestakk'' statue by Dyre Vaa on Ankerbrua''Kvitebjørn kong Valemon'' statue by Dyre Vaa on AnkerbruaAnkerbrua picture gallery
Grünerløkka Bridges in Oslo Akerselva Bridges completed in 1926 Ankerbrua Oslo

249x249px, Bronze sculptures by Dyre Vaa ''Per Gynt'' and ''Kari Trestakk'' (1937) on Ankerbrua. {{Oslo-geo-stub