We must look closely at the bronze statue of Johannes Rudbeckius standing before the Västerås cathedral. Its most peculiar feature is the sun held by an angel. This object has a mysterious history of disappearing. It was stolen in August 1990 and found on the cathedral floor on New Year's Eve. It vanished again in August 2009 and returned just one day later. We should wonder what draws people to take such a piece of history.
Johannes Rudbeckius served as the Bishop of Västerås from 1619 to 1646. He was a man of administration and education who authored Sweden's first regulations on parish registers in 1622. His legacy includes founding the country's first gymnasium in 1623 and its first girls' school in 1632. These facts provide a sturdy foundation for understanding the importance of the man we honor here.
The journey to build this monument required great persistence. Plans began in 1892, but committees failed to raise funds in 1906 and 1912. It took until 1922 for a public appeal to succeed. Two-thirds of the money came from local residents. The artist Carl Milles was commissioned to create the work for the 300th anniversary of the gymnasium.
We invite you to explore this permanent tribute to a man who shaped the region's early education. Visitors to Domkyrkoplan can view the bronze memorial today. It sits near the Rudbeckianska gymnasium, waiting for those who wish to examine its history further.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nik Frost
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