Design: Ole Lislerud
"Ignis" is a memorial to the catastrophic fire that laid Ålesund in ruins on a stormy winter night between January 22 and 23, 1904.
The sculpture, unveiled in 2005 and located on the south side of Skansekaia, was created by Ole Lislerud in stone and ceramics and is a strong symbol of the city's reconstruction.
The monument consists of four tall ceramic pillars with large decorative tiles, produced in China. Photographs have been processed and incorporated into the narrative, which includes both officials and stonemasons who contributed to the reconstruction. The pillars are angled towards each other, reminiscent of the chimneys that were the only structures left standing after the fire ravaged the old wooden town. The work represents the harsh winter that followed the fire and the rapid reconstruction of Ålesund, which is now known as an Art Nouveau city with European architecture.
