Ever paused to consider the silent stories held within bronze and granite? The H.C. Ørsted Statue before us is more than just a monument. It is a tribute to a brilliant mind and a pivotal moment in scientific history.
The H.C. Ørsted Statue stands in Ørsted Park. The park is named after two notable brothers. They are Hans Christian Ørsted and Anders Sandøe Ørsted. Anders was a politician and lawyer.
Jens Adolf Jerichau created the H.C. Ørsted Statue. It shows Ørsted demonstrating electromagnetism. He connects wires from a battery. This makes a magnet oscillate.
Look closely at the base of the H.C. Ørsted Statue. You will see three Norse goddesses. They are the Norns of destiny. Urd represents the past. She records Ørsted’s name. Verdande spins the thread of the present. Skuld awaits the future. She holds a rune stick.
The idea for the H.C. Ørsted Statue began in the early 1860s. Elisabeth Jerichau-Baumann conceived it. Hans Christian Andersen mentioned it in his autobiography.
A committee formed to bring the statue to life. It included Frederik Ferdinand Tillisch, Johan Georg Forchhammer, Ole Berendt Suhr, and Hans Christian Andersen. Jens Adolf Jerichau designed the monument.
The bronze figures were cast in C. F. Holm’s foundry. The H.C. Ørsted Statue was inaugurated on September 25, 1876. It stands on the former Holck’s Bastion. This was when work on the park started.
The plinth of the H.C. Ørsted Statue is four meters tall. Ørsted appears giant-sized. The front of the plinth reads “HANS CHRISTIAN ØRSTED”. The right side says “FØDT 14 AUGUST 1777”. The left side states “DØD 9 MARTS 1851”.
The H.C. Ørsted Statue was erected when the Carlsberg Foundation was established. The statue measures 600 x 500 x 450 cm. A plaster model of the statue is at Fyns Kunstmuseum.
So, as you stand before the H.C. Ørsted Statue remember the scientist. Remember the artist. Remember the legacy of discovery. It is a legacy etched in bronze and stone.