At the end of Jernbanealleen, Sandefjord's main street near the harbour, stands one of Norway's most striking public sculptures. The 26-ton bronze Hvalfangstmonumentet, the Whaler's Monument, depicts four stylized whalers with oars in an open boat, harpoons at the ready, the vessel raised by a whale fin beneath them. Sculptor Knut Steen won a competition that over 100 artists entered, then spent seven years completing the work. It was unveiled on 23 June 1960, Sandefjord's 115th anniversary, funded by shipping magnate Lars Christensen. The sculpture is designed in the form of a compass rose, surrounded by fountains and illuminated by 128 spotlights.
Sandefjord was known as the whaling capital of the world from roughly 1905 through the post-war period. At its peak, 25 whaling companies operated from the town, sending expeditions to Antarctica, South Georgia, New Zealand, and Namibia. The majority of whale ship owners and crew for the entire global industry came from Sandefjord and the surrounding Vestfold region. The whaling wealth made Sandefjord the richest city in Norway for a time.
The sculptor himself had a remarkable story. Knut Steen suffered from tuberculosis as a child and underwent major lung surgery in 1951, just two years before winning the monument competition. The whaling monument became his most recognized work. More of his sculptures can be seen at Midtasen Skulpturpark, located at the former villa of shipping magnate Anders Jahre, elsewhere in Sandefjord.
Sandefjord was known as the whaling capital of the world from roughly 1905 through the post-war period. At its peak, 25 whaling companies operated from the town, sending expeditions to Antarctica, South Georgia, New Zealand, and Namibia. The majority of whale ship owners and crew for the entire global industry came from Sandefjord and the surrounding Vestfold region. The whaling wealth made Sandefjord the richest city in Norway for a time.
The sculptor himself had a remarkable story. Knut Steen suffered from tuberculosis as a child and underwent major lung surgery in 1951, just two years before winning the monument competition. The whaling monument became his most recognized work. More of his sculptures can be seen at Midtasen Skulpturpark, located at the former villa of shipping magnate Anders Jahre, elsewhere in Sandefjord.
