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The Great Britain Guide

Public art & sculpture · Central Scotland

The Kelpies

The Kelpies in Scotland Central, United Kingdom.

The Kelpies - geograph.org.uk - 4049575

William Starkey — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence

Plan your visit

Typical visit
1 h–2 h

About

The Kelpies is a public sculpture in Scotland Central, United Kingdom, dating from 2014. Britain's public art ranges from Henry Moore reclining figures and Anthony Gormley installations to the Angel of the North and the surviving statues of empire.

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From the Wikipedia article

The Kelpies are a pair of monumental steel horse-heads between the Scottish towns of Falkirk and Grangemouth. They stand next to the M9 motorway and form the eastern gateway of the Forth and Clyde Canal, which meets the River Carron here. Each head is 30 metres (98 ft) high and 300 tonnes (47,000 st) The sculptures, which represent kelpies, were designed by sculptor Andy Scott and were completed in October 2013. An unveiling ceremony took place in April 2014. Around the sculptures is an area of parkland known as The Helix.

Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.

Background

History

The name was chosen by Scottish Canals at the inception of The Helix project in 2005, to reflect the mythological transforming beasts possessing the strength and endurance of ten horses. The Kelpies represent the lineage of the heavy horse of Scottish industry and economy, pulling the wagons, ploughs, barges, and coalships that shaped the geographical layout of the Falkirk area. According to sculptor Andy Scott, "The original concept of mythical water horses was a valid starting point for the artistic development of the structures." He also said that he "took that concept and moved with it towards a more equine and contemporary response, shifting from any mythological references towards a…

Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Coordinates
56.0191, -3.7553
Established
2014
Official site
www.thehelix.co.uk

Sources

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Frequently asked questions

Where is The Kelpies?
The Kelpies is in Central Scotland, in the United Kingdom — coordinates 56.0191°, -3.7553°.
When was The Kelpies built?
The Kelpies dates to 2014.