When giving directions for the Angel of the North, the statement – You can’t miss it – is completely true. When driving south on the A1 into Gateshead it is virtually impossible to miss the 20 metres tall copper and steel angel with its 54 metres wings spread wide in welcome.
Erected in February 1998, The Angel of the North is a contemporary sculpture by Antony Gormley which was created in the lead up to the millennium celebrations.
According to the artist “the significance of an angel was three-fold: first, to signify that beneath the site of its construction, coal miners worked for two centuries; second, to grasp the transition from an industrial to information age, and third, to serve as a focus for our evolving hopes and fears.”[2]
Angel of the North
Here’s some amazing facts about the Angel of the North from the Gateshead Council.
- It is believed to be the largest angel sculpture in the world
- It is one of the most viewed pieces of art in the world – seen by more than one person every second, 90,000 every day or 33 million every year
- It is one of the most famous artworks in the region – almost two thirds of people in the North East had already heard of the Angel of the North before it was built
- Its 54 metre (175 foot) wingspan is bigger than a Boeing 757 or 767 jet and almost the same as a Jumbo jet
- It is 20 metres (65 feet) high – the height of a five storey building or four double decker buses
- It weighs 200 tonnes – the body 100 tonnes and the wings 50 tonnes each
- There is enough steel in it to make 16 double decker buses or four Chieftain tanks
- It will last for more than 100 years
- It will withstand winds of more than 100 miles per hour
- Below the sculpture, massive concrete piles 20 metres deep will anchor it to the solid rock beneath
- It is made of weather resistant Cor-ten steel, containing a small amount of copper, which forms a patina on the surface that mellows with age
- Huge sections of the Angel – up to six metres wide and 25 metres long – were transported to the site by lorry with a police escort
- The total cost of The Angel of the North was £800,000
- There is unique species of daffodil named the Angel of the North due to its orange, rusty hue and lofty height. The Angel of the North daffodil has been verified and registered with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS)
As you drive by you can pull over into the car park and visit the statue. It is only when you are standing underneath it that you truly get a feeling for just how large it really is. Just trying to take a picture of the entire structure requires a significant distance between you and the Angel.
You can get there by both car and public transit
Visit the Gateshead Council site for more information on the Angel of the North, directions on how to get there and other activities in the area.
