Hermes (Merchant God)

The work is by Professor Mogens Møller. His starting point was the street and its history. A piece of Viking jewellery found in Kongensgade was enlarged and placed on the sphinx, the guardian of the street (seated under the arch).

The sculpture's main figure is Hermes, the god of commerce, and what could be more appropriate for a commercial street?
Hermes' attributes are wings and snakes, and they are set up on the wall in front of the 8.5 metre tall Hermes figure, which resembles an American football. Hermes is guarded by a sphinx and six solid granite supports - the so-called "citizen guards" or "colossi" that stand along Kongensgade. Some of the citizen guards almost look like shield houses.

The granite work is made in China, where the granite itself came from, and is displayed in Chinese characters. On the wall facing Østre Stationsvej, FRED is written on one side and Mogens Møller's name on the other. On one of the guards on the corner of Kongensgade and Dronningensgade, the name of the stonemason in China and in Denmark is written, also in Chinese characters.