Angel of the North

The Angel of the North is on the south side of Newcastle in the area of Gateshead.

This massive Steel Art Work was designed by Sir Antony Gormley in 1997, with the Angel erected on this spot in Feb 1998.

The Angel of the North is claimed to have inspired the re-generation of the Newcastle area with the Quayside Development, Milennium Bridge, Baltic Centre for Cotempory Art, and Sage Gateshead, a huge modern glass building for concerts.

Angel of the North Map

There are regular buses that run from Newcastle centre to the Angel such as service 21. By car driving along the A1 motorway there are clear signs for the turn off, and you cannot miss the Statue itself, as it looks over the A1.

Google Map for Directions

The image below is from where most people take photos, so they can get the whole statue in.

The image below is from the west side that gives a better sense of just how large the Angel is.

Angel of the North facts

Designed by Sir Antony Gormley in 1997

Built at Hartlepool Steel Fabricators Ltd at Teeside

Built up from 3,153 pieces of steel

Erected on this spot in Feb 1998

Built on top of the site of a former coal mine

136 bolts were used to attach the wings to the body

52 huge bolts used to hold the sculpture upright

The base holding the staue in place is about 100 feet into the ground

The statue is 66 ft high, 175 ft wide

Can withsatnd winds of around 100 miles per hour

Cost around £800,000

Mainly funded by the Arts Council's Loterry Fund

Weighs 208 tonnes

Seen by 33 million people each year as overlooks the busy A1 road

Built of cor-ten steel that naturaly forms a protective coating

Claimed it will last for around 100 years

Claimed to be Britain’s largest sculpture

Claimed to be the largest angel sculpture in the world

The Angel is now a top Newcastle area site for Wedding Photos

A 30ft Alan Shearer football shirt was draped over the statue by fans in 1998

Morrisons supermarket projected a Huge Baquette onto the Angel's Wings in 2014 for advertising purposes, leading to protests