Bältespännarparken, Public park in central Gothenburg, Sweden
Bältespännarparken is a roughly 6,000-square-metre section of Kungsparken in central Gothenburg, facing Stora Teatern at Kungsportsavenyen and the main entrance of the Garden Society of Gothenburg. Its centrepiece is Johan Peter Molin's bronze Bältespännarna, two belted warriors gripping each other's hair and arm, green with patina on a dark stone pedestal. A bowl-shaped fountain and cherry trees stand nearby.
The section of Kungsparken was unofficially named Bältespännarparken in 2003 after Johan Peter Molin's sculpture Bältespännarna, installed there on 15 May 1863 and moved to its current spot in 1914. The park belongs to the green belt around the Vallgraven moat, laid out after Gothenburg's fortifications were demolished in the early 19th century.
The park's name, used unofficially since 2003, comes from Johan Peter Molin's bronze group Bältespännarna, two warriors gripping each other's hair and arms. The sculpture was placed here on 15 May 1863 and moved to its present spot in 1914. The park forms part of the green belt around the Vallgraven moat, laid out after Gothenburg's fortifications were demolished in the early 19th century.
Bältespännarparken lies at the junction of Kungsportsavenyen and the main entrance to the Garden Society of Gothenburg, across from Stora Teatern. Since the 2013 renovation, the former stretch of Södra Vägen between the park and the Garden Society is a footpath, bicycle path and gravel area. The park covers about 6,000 square metres.
The circular pond that once doubled as a winter ice rink was nicknamed "Sponsringen" (The Sponsorship) because it was built with corporate funding. The 2013 renovation replaced it with a bowl-shaped fountain and removed the surrounding stone rim, so the old rink no longer exists.
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