The Monolith Plateau is the most popular part of Vigelandsparken; deservedly so in my opinion.  It lies above the other parts of the park and once we had arrived we found it hard to pull ourselves away.  The monolith itself is a raised central granite column 17.3 metres high.  It took three stone carvers 14 years to complete.  It is surrounded by 36 separately carved platforms, known collectively as the Circle of Life.

The Monolith itself contains 121 figures, snaking and swirling up the column, stretching up towards the heavens.  Many of Vigeland’s sculptures represent the everlasting circle of life, where new life grows from death.  The Monolith offers a different perspective.  The figures here are reaching out for death; embracing it; almost striving for it.

Surrounding the Monolith is the Circle of Life, my favourite part of the park.  I walked around it several times.  The rock hard granite faces were full of emotion.

Stretching away from the Monolith, the Circle of Life comprises 12 separate arms, each consisting of three platforms.  Each arm is concerned with a different phase of life.  There is birth…

…growing into childhood.

Childhood turns into adolescence…

…which can become quite boisterous at times…

…until a certain level of maturity is reached.

There is love.

And perhaps, at times, conflict.

Happiness is in growing old together.

Although Time soon catches up with us…

Some manage to give Time a pretty good run for its money.

Eventually, however, there is only one outcome for the living.

And we must all embrace Death, for Death will most certainly embrace us.

Date of Visit:  17 July 2014

The Monolith Plateau (copy and paste the co-ordinates into Google Earth):

• The Monolith Plateau:  N 59° 55.662 E 010° 41.936