"The Grunwald Monument" in Krakow, Poland.
The Grunwald Monument marks the Polish and Lithuanian victory over the Teutonic Knights at the eponymous battle in 1410. The battle, one of the largest in medieval Europe, marked the the beginning of the decline of the Germanic-Prussian order and the rise of the Polish-Lithuanian union’s dominance in Central and Eastern Europe.
The 79 ft. (24 m.) tall monument features King Władysław Jagiełło on top of the plinth. Below him on the sides are the figures of the Grand Duke of Lithuania with the mortally wounded Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, Ulrich von Jungingen. Also on the monument are a Polish knight and squire and a Lithuanian knight with a bound Knight of the Cross.
The Grunwald Monument marks the Polish and Lithuanian victory over the Teutonic Knights at the eponymous battle in 1410. The battle, one of the largest in medieval Europe, marked the the beginning of the decline of the Germanic-Prussian order and the rise of the Polish-Lithuanian union’s dominance in Central and Eastern Europe.
The 79 ft. (24 m.) tall monument features King Władysław Jagiełło on top of the plinth. Below him on the sides are the figures of the Grand Duke of Lithuania with the mortally wounded Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, Ulrich von Jungingen. Also on the monument are a Polish knight and squire and a Lithuanian knight with a bound Knight of the Cross.
"Sverd i fjell" (Swords in the mountain), in Hafrsfjord, Norway
The monument was created by sculptor Fritz Røed from Bryne and was unveiled by King Olav V of Norway in 1983. The three bronze swords stand 10 metres (33 ft) tall and are planted into the rock of a small hill next to the fjord. They commemorate the historic Battle of Hafrsfjord which took place there in the year 872, when King Harald Fairhair gathered all of Norway under one crown.
The largest sword represents the victorious Harald, and the two smaller swords represent the defeated petty kings. The monument also represents peace, since the swords are planted into solid rock, so they may never be removed.
The monument was created by sculptor Fritz Røed from Bryne and was unveiled by King Olav V of Norway in 1983. The three bronze swords stand 10 metres (33 ft) tall and are planted into the rock of a small hill next to the fjord. They commemorate the historic Battle of Hafrsfjord which took place there in the year 872, when King Harald Fairhair gathered all of Norway under one crown.
The largest sword represents the victorious Harald, and the two smaller swords represent the defeated petty kings. The monument also represents peace, since the swords are planted into solid rock, so they may never be removed.
Portrait of the king of Pontus Mithridates VI as Heracles. Marble, Roman imperial period (1st century).
📸 Louvre Museum, Paris.
📸 Louvre Museum, Paris.
Extraordinarily Well-Preserved 3,000-Year-Old Octagonal Sword Unearthed in Närdlingen, Germany.
Found at the site of a former Celtic settlement, the sword was buried with other bronze objects in a grave alongside three people (a man, a woman, and a boy). Although this grouping is suggestive of a family unit, archeologists were keen to stress it remains unclear how, if at all, the three were related.
Although the sword bears little sign of having being used in combat, archeologists say they believe it was a real rather than an ornamental weapon. “The center of gravity in the front part of the blade indicates that it was balanced mainly for slashing,” according to the statement.
Found at the site of a former Celtic settlement, the sword was buried with other bronze objects in a grave alongside three people (a man, a woman, and a boy). Although this grouping is suggestive of a family unit, archeologists were keen to stress it remains unclear how, if at all, the three were related.
Although the sword bears little sign of having being used in combat, archeologists say they believe it was a real rather than an ornamental weapon. “The center of gravity in the front part of the blade indicates that it was balanced mainly for slashing,” according to the statement.
"The Defense of the Sampo" — Akseli Gallen-Kallela, 1896.
The scene portrayed is taken from the 43rd song of the Kalevala, where the hero Väinämöinen, seen wielding a sword, has stolen the precious artifact Sampo from the evil witch Louhi, and she, having taken the form of a giant bird, is trying to reclaim it.
The battle for the Sampo is also given a deeper connotation as a battle for the soul of Finland.
The scene portrayed is taken from the 43rd song of the Kalevala, where the hero Väinämöinen, seen wielding a sword, has stolen the precious artifact Sampo from the evil witch Louhi, and she, having taken the form of a giant bird, is trying to reclaim it.
The battle for the Sampo is also given a deeper connotation as a battle for the soul of Finland.