The World's Largest Wooden Bear - you can't miss it!
If you’re in to bears, Sweden is a good place to be. You won’t find the polar bears (head to neighbouring Norway), but with a huge amount of land and a small population, brown bears still roam the wilderness. But have you ever seen a wooden bear? Sweden has one of those too! It even holds the title of ‘The World’s Largest Wooden Bear’. I’m not sure what it was competing against.
It’s given an identity to the small town of Sveg and is something the locals are proud of. We were travelling down Sweden’s famous E45 highway, so passed through Sveg to take a look.
They weren’t kidding, it’s big! It’s also wooden! Having no prior idea of the bear’s metrics, I anticipated a spectacular wooden carving. I got this wrong.
It’s actually planks of wood nailed together (570,000 nails for the statisticians). 13 metres tall and weighing in at 80 tonnes. It cost 2.2 million Swdeish Kronor to build, with the funds raised by local businesses and private investment.
Someone went to a real effort here. But with expectations not meeting reality, it did feel a little underwhelming. But there is something quite charming about it. There’s little fanfare for ‘The World’s Largest Wooden Bear’. It stands casually on the corner of a crossroads opposite the Circle K supermarket.
- Have you seen the world’s second largest wooden bear (where is it)? Â
- What did you think?Â
- Does your town have an obscure world record holder?
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How do I get to see The World's Largest Wooden Bear in Sveg?
Sveg is a small town on Sweden’s E45 Highway. It’s approximately 450KM north of Stockholm (I don’t think you’ll be making a day trip for it). You won’t have to look hard for the bear when you arrive. Did I say it’s ‘The World’s Largest Wooden Bear’?
I recommend you hire a car if you’re coming this far north. The roads are easy to navigate in Sweden and the simplest way to get around.
How much does it cost to see The World's Largest Wooden Bear in Sveg?
It’s free and if you’re in a car, you can park for free in one of the supermarkets next to it.
How long does it take to see The World's Largest Wooden Bear in Sveg?
It depends on how much you love wooden bears. A quick stretch of the legs and you can see it all in a few minutes.