Angel of the North

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Date: 26 August 2022

Location: Gateshead 54.9141492,-1.5894714

"Why an angel?

"’Why an angel? The only response I can give is that no-one has ever seen one and we need to keep imagining them. The Angel has three functions – firstly a historic one to remind us that below this site coal miners worked in the dark for two hundred years, secondly to grasp hold of the future expressing our transition from the industrial to the information age, and lastly to be a focus for our hopes and fears.’ — Antony Gormley, Sculptor

"Angel facts

"- The Angel of the North is seen by more than one person every second, 90,000 every day and 33 million annually.

"- It stands 20 metres (65 feet) high, the height of four double decker buses, with a wing span of 54 metres (175 feet), almost the width of a jumbo jet.

"- It weighs 208 tonnes, the body 108 tonnes and the wings 50 tonnes each, enough steel to build four Chieftan [sic] tanks

"- The sculpture was fabricated in cor-ten steel which, due to the alloys, weathers to form a protective coating.

"- The total cost of the Angel of the North was £800,000.

"- Ove Arup and Partners were the technical designers, working closely with Gateshead Council engineering department.

"- Thomas Armstrong (Construction) Ltd constructed the foundations.

"- It can withstand winds of over 100 miles per hour.

"- An arts in education project continues to inspire school children from Gateshead and across the region.

"- The Angel forms the basis of much postgraduate research.

"- The Angel is seen daily in the media and has won many awards."

— Interpretation panel

Further reading:

• Angel of the North (Gateshead Council)
• Angel of the North (Wikipedia)

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