Write ReviewRatingRecommendContact OwnerClaimPrint

It was the vision of Gateshead Council to create a landmark sculpture at the entrance to Tyneside, which culminated in The Angel of the North. Its wide, open arms greet visitors as they reach Gateshead, whether they come by road or rail. A major attraction The Angel of the North is a major attraction to visitors. Over 150,000 a year visit the site to see the awe-inspiring sculpture close up. The scale cannot fail to impress, at 20 metres (65 feet) it is more than the height of four double decker buses. Its wings are 54 metres (175 feet) wide - almost as long as the wings of a Jumbo jet. To people living and working nearby it appears on a much more human scale. Its silhouette at the head of the Team Valley is no more imposing than - but just as impressive as - other hilltop landmarks such as the Penshaw Monument. The Angel also has a warm, appealing colour. It is of a special weather resistant steel which contains copper. The surface oxidises to form a patina, which mellows with age to a rich red brown colour. The Angel is now also one of the 12 official 'Icons of England' in a major government-sponsored Culture Online project.