In Egersund, the sculptures tell the town's local stories, mark identity and provide space for reflection. Some works reflect the town's maritime and industrial traditions, while others allow for more modern and abstract expressions. Together, they help to make the urban space richer, more vibrant and more meaningful.

Here's an overview of 15 works of art you can experience in Egersund.

1. Linda – byens egen sjøskulptur

She stands in the entrance to Egersund - beautiful, mysterious and seductive!

Many boaters already know her. Stretching gracefully in aluminium, with her back to the city and her eyes turned towards the sea, she welcomes seafarers to Egersund. Is she a woman emerging from the depths? Or a sensual figure luring you in? Artist Hannu T. Konttinen leaves it up to the imagination. The sculpture is located in Lindøygapet, and was unveiled on 29 July 2000 during Kyststevnet with great festivities. 

Next time you come by sea, keep an eye out for Linda. She's still standing there, a beautiful sign of welcome, history and pride.

2. The girl with the harmonica

The bronze sculpture stands at the foot of Lerviksbakken. It was created by Kjell Grette Christensen and depicts a girl with a harmonica.

3. Mother and child

Bronze sculpture that stands at the entrance to Eigersund Hospital. It was created by sculptor Svein Håvarstein.

4. Three little pigs

Plassen i krysset mellom Storgaten og Kirkegaten, i sentrum av Egersund, kalles Grisatorget. Navnet kommer av at det var her tidligere tiders handel med smågriser fant sted. Skulpturen av Three little pigs standing in the square is a reminder of this. Den er utført av Skule Waksvik. Er du nysgjerrig på flere detaljer om Grisatorget kan du lese denne artikkelen fra Kulturstien i Egersund.

5. Young pike

Sculpture in bronze placed in a green area outside the town hall. It was created by Ørnulf Bast. It was donated to the municipality by Kværner Brug AS in 1974.

6. The woman's hand - a badge of honour in Egersund

Monumentet ble innviet som en hyllest til kvinner i Egersund, og ble avduket av fylkesmann Tora Aasland i 2001. Egersund-advokaten Gudrund Aarstad, i samarbeid med Nettverk for Kvinner i Dalane, tok initiativet til hedersmonumentet som er formet av billedkunstner Kari Agner.

Monumentet består av tre steinblokker fra Sirevåg, med totalvekt på rundt 15 tonn. en høyeste steinblokka er cirka 3 meter høy og bærer symbolet «kvinnehånden». En av de andre blokkene har symbolene nål og tråd; nålen er innfelt i glass, og tråden løper fra bunn til topp i steinen. 

Steinblokkene har både glatte og ru partier, som symboliserer ulike faser i en kvinnes liv – ifølge kunstneren. Håndsymbolet har en sentral plass i monumentet. Agner har sagt at hånden representerer omsorg, arbeid og livets mange faser. De ru og glatte overflatene i steinen symboliserer både motgang og gode tider, og skal speile en hel livshistorie

Artist's reflections

Kari Agner jobbet i omtrent ett og et halvt år med å forme monumentet. Hun har beskrevet at hun lot tankene vandre gjennom mange kvinners liv mens hun hogde steinen, og at hånden kom tidlig inn som et sentralt symbol. 

Significance for the city

Monumentet er plassert sentralt i Egersund, og markerer en offentlige anerkjennelse av kvinners rolle i byens historie og samfunn. Verket fungerer som et symbol på både kvinners arbeid, liv, og deres usynlige bidrag i historien.

7. The memorial to the victims of 22 July 2011

I etterkant av tragedien 22. juli 2011, der 77 mennesker mistet livet, ble hver kommune som mistet noen tilbudt et minnesmerke fra en anonym giver. Fra Eigersund ble Jamil Rafal Mohamad drept på Utøya, og kommunen ønsket å minnes henne ved å takke ja til et minnesmerke, plassert ved Lundeånes utløp i Vågen.  

The monument, which is carved in Iddefjord granite, is the work of sculptor Nico Widerberg, while the chiselled text was written by Lars Saabye Christensen. The monument was unveiled on 6 October 2012 by Marta-Johanne Svendsen, leader of Dalane AUF. 

8. Monument to the fallen during the war

Not long after the end of the war, the idea of a memorial to the fallen from the town and the surrounding area was launched by Mikal Hestnes, through Eigersund Fiskarlag. The idea was well received and after extensive fundraising, sufficient funds were raised in 1949. At the time, the monument cost NOK 36,000.

The memorial was created by sculptor Ottar Espeland (1913 - 1996). It was erected outside Egersund church and unveiled on 7 August 1949. At the unveiling, a request was made for the names of the fallen to be recognised on a memorial plaque. This wish was not fulfilled until 9 April 1990, when the name plate with these 25 names was unveiled.

9. Unloading

Et minnesmerke over en yrkesgruppe som har betydd mye for kystens befolkning og skipsfarten til og fra Egersund. Minnesmerket består av en skulptur plassert mellom Steinbryggen og Jernbanekaien. Den ble avduket av los Sivert Martin Svanes 20. juni 1998.

The sculpture was the business community's gift to the city on the occasion of its 200th anniversary in 1998. It is made of granite by sculptor Hugo Wathne.

10. Memorial to the German Brigade

The memorial to the German Brigade 1947 - 1953 was erected by the German Brigade Veterans Association Rogaland in collaboration with the municipalities of Stavanger, Sandnes, Tysvær and Eigersund.

Minnesmerket er et relieff som står i rabatten mellom parkeringsplassen på Arenes og Torget. Relieffet er laget av Hugo Wathne. Det ble avduket av ordfører Marit Myklebust 8. mai 2000. Tilsvarende minnesmerke ble avduket samme dag i de øvrige tre kommuner.

11. The memorial to railway workers

A memorial has been erected at Egersund station to those who built the Jærbanen, Flekkefjordbanen and Ålgårdbanen lines, and those who converted these lines from narrow gauge. to normal track.

The memorial is a relief that symbolises the railway line cutting through the various obstacles. It was erected by NSB, and was placed at Egersund station when it was located roughly in the centre of the former Stavanger railway district. It was created by sculptor Hugo Wathne and was unveiled by Mayor Bjørn Bårdsen on 28 December 1978. 

12. Bust of Johan Feyer

Utenfor den gamle fayancefabrikken, som i dag huser ALTI Eikunda, står en byste av Johan Feyer. I 1901 bestemte formannskapet i kommunen at tiden var inne for å få reist et minnesmerke over Johan Feyer, grunnleggeren av Egersund Fayancefabrik. Det ble oppnevnt en komité som skulle arbeide med saken. Nødvendige midler ble skaffet til veie, og i 1906 var en byste ferdig modellert. Den var utført av billedhuggeren Jo Visdal (1861 – 1923). Bysten ble avduket på Tothry 23. september 1906. Der sto den til 1936, da den ble flyttet til sin nåværende plassering på Fabrikkplassen.

13. Bauta over Christen Mølbach

I 1914 var det stor feiring av grunnlovens 100-årsjubileum rundt om i hele landet. I Egersund mente Egersunds Ungdomsforening at det å hedre eidsvollsmannen Christen Mølbach med en bauta ville være en verdig måte å markere jubileet på. Mølbach ble født i Kristiansand, der faren var kjøpmann. Selv var han en tid sorenskriverfullmektig, men tok så til som kjøpmann i Egersund. I 1814 var han delegat fra Stavanger amt til Riksforsamlingen på Eidsvoll. Bautaen ble plassert i Fjellparken og avduket 17. mai 1914. Det hører med til historien at Christen Mølbach også har blitt hedret med en gate oppkalt etter seg i Egersund, til 200-årsjubileet av grunnloven.

14. The war memorial at Slettebø

On 19 November 1942, two British aircraft, a tractor and a glider, crashed in the Helleland tracts. The planes were taking part in Operation Freshman, the aim of which was to bomb Norsk Hydro's heavy water plant at Vemork near Rjukan. Everyone in the tractor aeroplane was killed. Of the glider crew, three died while 14 survived. The survivors were executed the following day by the Germans at Slettebø.

On the initiative of the Egersund and Dalane Defence Association, a plaque commemorating the 14 British soldiers who were executed was unveiled on 9 November 1957. However, the memorial plaque is not set up exactly where the executions took place, most likely because the exact location of the place of execution was not known at the time. On the memorial plaque, the number of soldiers executed was initially stated as 11, but the correct number is 14. This has now been corrected. In 1990, a name plate was erected that also lists the names of the three people in the glider who died in the crash. 

15. Bust of Bakkebø's first manager

A bust of Bakkebø's first manager, Leiv Tveit, placed at Bakkebø church. The bust was created by sculptor Emma Matthiasen and was unveiled by Bakkebø's long-time driver, Jens Tønnessen, on 26 October 1970.