Yahoo News Seven things you didn't know about the Angel of the North on iconic sculpture's 20th birthday
It’s now 20 years since the North East of England welcomed an impressive new landmark – the Angel of the North sculpture.
Designed by Antony Gormley OBE in 1998, it’s thought to be the largest angel sculpture in the world, and weighs 200 tonnes – the same as 50 elephants.
The idea behind the striking piece was threefold, according to Gormley.
First, to draw attention to the hard work that miners put into the land beneath the structure. Secondly, to grasp the transition from an industrial to an information age, and third, to act as a focal point for ‘evolving hopes and fears’.
A lesser-known fact is that he used a plaster cast of his own body to base the sculpture on.
It took 20 men working full time for 6 months to construct the sculpture, which includes enough steel in it to make 16 double decker buses or four Chieftain tanks.
Standing next to the A1 motorway, it’s 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.
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However, this fact almost stopped the Angel from being built – many drivers were worried she would act as a distraction to those on the road.
And at 20 metres (65 feet) high – the height of a five-storey building or four double-decker buses – she certainly draws attention.
The total cost of The Angel of the North was £800,000, most of which was funded by the National Lottery.
It’s anticipated to last for more than 100 years due to the time and effort put into creating it, despite Tyne and Wear’s notoriously chill winds.
