The Angel of the North (Sculpture)

 

It is the largest sculpture in Britain
It is believed to be the largest angel sculpture in the world
It will be one of the most viewed pieces of art in the world - seen by more than one person every second, 90,000 every day or 33 million every year
It is one of the most famous artworks in the region - almost two thirds of people in the North East had already heard of the Angel of the North before it was built
Its 54 metre (175 foot) wingspan is bigger than a Boeing 757 or 767 jet and almost the same as a Jumbo jet
It is 20 metres (65 feet) high - the height of a five storey building or four double decker buses
It weighs 200 tonnes - the body 100 tonnes and the wings 50 tonnes each
There is enough steel in it to make 16 double decker buses or four Chieftain tanks
It will last for more than 100 years
It will withstand winds of more than 100 miles per hour
Below the sculpture, massive concrete piles 20 metres deep will anchor it to the solid rock beneath
It is made of weather resistant Cor-ten steel, containing a small amount of copper, which forms a patina on the surface that mellows with age
Huge sections of the Angel - up to six metres wide and 25 metres long - were transported to the site by lorry with a police escort