“Is that the sun, cast in bronze?” someone in your group might wonder out loud. You’ve gathered in front of the SOL Sculpture, a captivating piece by Gottfred Eickhoff. This sculpture, with its sleek, abstract design, isn’t your typical art piece. It was a gift to Roskilde from the local company, Stryhn’s Leverpostej A/S, in 1998. This gift marked a special occasion for the city: Roskilde’s 1,000th anniversary.
The SOL Sculpture is more than just a celebration of the city’s long history. Look closely and you’ll find names inscribed on its surface. These aren’t just any names, they are the names of the company’s employees and those involved in crafting this majestic piece. The jar positioned closest to the station holds a special inscription: a poem by Henrik Nordbrandt. The poem weaves a tale of Roskilde and its iconic ruler, Queen Margrethe I. Eickhoff designed the jars to symbolize both life and death. This duality is reflected in the jars’ traditional uses: storing life-sustaining food and holding the ashes of those who have passed.