Folkungabrunnen
| Folkungabrunnen | |
|---|---|
| Fountain | |
 | |
| Design | Carl Milles |
| Opened | 12 December 1927 |
| Location | Stora torget, Linköping, Sweden |
Interactive map of Folkungabrunnen | |
| Coordinates: 58°24′39″N 15°37′17″E / 58.41073°N 15.62148°E | |
Folkungabrunnen (lit. 'The Folkung Fountain') is a fountain at Stora torget in Linköping, Sweden. Designed by the sculptor Carl Milles, it has a rectangular basin where the outsides are covered with reliefs showing subjects from the history of Östergötland. At the centre is an equestrian bronze statue of Folke Filbyter, the semi-legendary progenitor of the medieval Folkung dynasty, as he is portrayed in the 1905 novel Folke Filbyter by Verner von Heidenstam.[1][2] Milles depicted a moment from the novel where the aged Folke searches for his lost grandchild and his horse slides on slippery stones while crossing a brook.[3]
The monument was primarily financed by Henric Westman. It was inaugurated on 12 December 1927 in the presence of Westman, Milles, Heidenstam and a large crowd of local residents. The statue of the strange-looking man on a skinny horse initially caused controversy. Critics were negative to having a statue in such a grotesque style on Linköping's most important square, and thought it was ill-fitting to showcase an unhealthy horse in a province famous in Sweden for its horse breeding. Over time, Folkungabrunnen became popular among Linköping's residents and has become a symbol for the city.[4][5] It underwent renovation in 2026 to be in good condition for its 100th anniversary in 2027.[6]
There is a reproduction of the Folke Filbyter statue at Millesgården in Stockholm.[3]
References
- ↑ Cornell, Henrik (1968). Carl Milles. Hans liv och hans vänner (in Swedish). Stockholm: Rabén & Sjögren. p. 321.
- ↑ Westerberg, K. Martin (1928). Folkungabrunnen i Linköping. Utförd av Carl Milles. En vägledning (in Swedish). Linköping: Sahlströms bokhandel.
- 1 2 "The Lower Terrace - Millesgården". www.millesgarden.se. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
- ↑ Hasselqvist, Susanne (9 December 2017). "Magnifik Folke fyller 90". Östgöta Correspondenten (in Swedish). Retrieved 24 July 2026.
- ↑ "Folkungabrunnen". KulturPunkt (in Swedish). Retrieved 24 July 2026.
- ↑ Höppe, Dennis; Spence, Simon (27 April 2026). "100-åriga Folke är i dåligt skick – rustas upp för miljoner". Östgöta Correspondenten (in Swedish). Retrieved 24 July 2026.
External links
Media related to Folkungabrunnen (Linköping) at Wikimedia Commons