Policeman and thief - Sölvesborg, Sweden
N 56° 03.061 E 014° 34.642
33V E 473676 N 6211838
Policeman and thief at the entrance to the former courthouse in Sölvesborg
Waymark Code: WM15TQF
Location: Blekinge, Sweden
Date Posted: 02/25/2022
Views: 0
At the entrance to the courthouse, a relief is seen on the right side. It depicts a fat police officer running after a criminal. Some will find it funny, others might find it a bit provocative. I like it and laughed when I saw it. It is surprising to see a relief that almost resembles cartoon characters at such a serious place as a courthouse.
Unfortunately, it has not been possible to find information about it or who the artist is.
The courthouse was designed by the architect Erik Gunnar Asplund and was built in 1921. He was very interested in the construction and participated in the whole process. He also designed interior details and furniture, such as a judge's chair, table, floor clock and a painting above the entrance.
The building is an early example of the so-called 1920s classicism. It is a simple brick building with concrete floors on the ground floor and above the courtroom. The entrance area attracts attention with the beautiful glass section. Also inside there are curved shapes. One detail is a small round window in the courtroom. In the afternoon, it shuts in the sunlight so that it falls on the witness stand. The incident light has been called the "light of truth".
When the house was to be built, there was great dissatisfaction in the city, and many thought it would be the ugliest house in the city. And since the building is located at an intersection, it is a very dominant building. But the inhabitants were wrong.
The courthouse in Sölvesborg is the most famous building in Blekinge and is visited by architecture students from all over the world.
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