Fremont Troll

The Fremont Troll is a concrete sculpture beneath the Aurora Bridge in Seattle's Fremont neighborhood, created by a team of local artists in 1990. The giant figure stands roughly 18 feet tall and grips a real Volkswagen Beetle with one hand while staring out from under the bridge with an eye made from a metal hubcap.

Four artists led by Steve Badanes built the troll in 1990 using a neighborhood grant of 20,000 dollars to transform an abandoned space beneath the bridge. The project came from a Fremont Arts Council competition meant to reimagine unused city spots.

The figure draws from the Norwegian tale Three Billy Goats Gruff, linking Nordic storytelling traditions with contemporary street art. It shows a grumpy giant with a shiny hubcap gaze, playing the role of the classic bridge keeper from the old stories.

The sculpture sits openly at North 36th Street beneath the Aurora Bridge and can be visited anytime for photos. The area around it is busiest during daylight when light under the bridge shows the details better.

The Volkswagen Beetle in the troll's grip originally held a time capsule with Elvis memorabilia, but vandalism led to filling the car with concrete. Today the car is firmly anchored in the figure's grasp and part of the permanent installation.

Location: Seattle

Creator: Steve Badanes

Accessibility: Wheelchair limited access

Made from material: concrete

GPS coordinates: 47.65105,-122.34723

Latest update: December 4, 2025 23:03