Rosenbom, Memorial statue in front of Admiralty Church, Karlskrona, Sweden
Rosenbom is a wooden memorial figure standing in front of the Admiralty Church in Karlskrona that portrays an elderly man holding a placard. The statue serves as a donation box where visitors can insert coins by lifting the figure's hat.
The figure was created in the mid-18th century by admiralty sculptor Johan Törnström and has functioned as a donation collector since its beginning. The original was relocated inside the church in 1956 and replaced with a replica that continues to stand outside today.
The wooden figure appears in Selma Lagerlöf's novel The Wonderful Adventures of Nils, where the main character encounters this statue. This literary connection gives the memorial meaning for readers of this celebrated Swedish story.
The placard displays Swedish text that references biblical passages about helping those in need. You can approach and examine the figure at any time as it stands permanently outside the church.
The statue has collected donations for charitable purposes for hundreds of years, making it one of the oldest functioning collection boxes in the city. This enduring history shows how a simple wooden figure has inspired giving across generations.
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