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Historic Sites of Manitoba: Giant Viking Statue (Gimli, RM of Gimli)
A 4.6 metre (15 feet) fibreglass statue of a Viking in Gimli was created as a Canadian centennial project by the Gimli Chamber of Commerce. Designed by Gissur Eliasson of the University of Manitoba, it was constructed by sculptor George Barone at a cost of $15,000. It was unveiled in 1967 by then-President of Iceland Asgeir Asgeirsson. A new Viking Park around the statue was unveiled on 5 August 2017 in recognition of the Icelandic Festival of Manitoba’s 125th anniversary and in honour of Canada’s 150th birthday. Around the pathways are stelae of various Icelandic persons and families from the area.
Viking statue at Gimli (2003)
Source: Gordon Goldsborough
Viking statue at Gimli (September 2018)
Source: George Penner
Viking statue at Gimli (June 2019)
Source: Rose KuzinaSite Coordinates (lat/long): N50.62977, W96.98680
denoted by symbol on the map above
See also:
Memorable Manitobans: Gissur Eliasson (1913-1980)
Memorable Manitobans: Giorgio “George” Barone (1916-1992)
Historical Tours in Manitoba: Historical Walking Tour of Gimli
Manitoba’s Viking Aesthetic: Two Cultural Artifacts in Gimli and the Connection to a Distant Past by Andrew McGillivray
Prairie History, Number 6, Fall 2021
Sources:
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough, Rose Kuzina, George Penner, and Tim Worth.
Page revised: 20 November 2021
Historic Sites of Manitoba
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