Man walking to the sky, Kassel

Name: Man walking to the sky
Address: Kassel, Germany

#46 among attractions in Kassel

Monuments and statues

Gallery (5)

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Facts and practical information

Man walking to the sky is a sculpture by US artist Jonathan Borofsky. The figure stands on the forecourt of the Kulturbahnhof Kassel. The "sky striker", as the sculpture is called by the citizens of Kassel, was designed by Borofsky for documenta IX in 1992. The production costs amounted to about 70,000 German marks.

The artwork consists of a steel tube 25 meters high and 50 centimeters in diameter, set at an angle of inclination of 63°. At about the beginning of the last third of the tube is attached a painted fiberglass figure depicting a man walking briskly skyward with confident steps. He wears a purple T-shirt and yellow pants.

During documenta IX, the sculpture stood on Friedrichsplatz. The city of Kassel purchased the figure after the end of the exhibition, as it was very well received by the citizens of Kassel. For them, the figure symbolized a positive, upward development of their city. The purchase price of 690,000 D-Mark was financed by donations. For a short time, the Himmelsstürmer stood on the Platz der Deutschen Einheit in the Unterneustadt district, before being placed in its current location in front of the Kulturbahnhof.

Borofsky says he is unhappy with the location of the sculpture and the way it was placed. In his opinion, the sky striker should be placed in a park on a hill outside the city. He is also bothered by the fact that mounting bolts and the sculpture's triangular base plate are visible. This, Borofsky says, detracts from the lightness of the installation he intended.

The female counterpart of the same design Woman walking to the sky is in Strasbourg.

Alternative names: Coordinates: 51°19'5"N, 9°29'26"E

Address

Kassel Ost (Mitte)Kassel Germany

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Kassel

Day trips

Man walking to the sky – popular in the area (distance from the attraction)

Nearby attractions include: Ottoneum, Orangerie, Bellevue Palace, Karlsaue.

0.5 miSE
Museum, Specialty museum, Science museum
Ottoneum, Kassel
13 min walk • The Ottoneum in Kassel, Germany, is a cultural gem that beckons history enthusiasts and art lovers alike. Housed in what is considered to be the first theater building of the Baroque period in Germany, the Ottoneum is now a museum that boasts an extensive range of...
0.7 miSE
Museum, Baroque architecture, Forts and castles
Orangerie, Kassel
19 min walk • The Orangerie is an Orangery in Kassel, Hesse, Germany. It was built under Landgrave Charles between 1703 and 1711. Since then, it forms the northern corner of the Karlsaue park. Today it is used as an astronomy and physical cabinet.
0.6 miS
Museum, Palace
Bellevue Palace, Kassel
15 min walk • Bellevue Palace in Kassel was built in 1714 for Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel. Originally the building served as an Observatory. It became a residence, and then part of Bellevue Castle, which was later destroyed.
1 miS
18th-century park with lakes and canals
Karlsaue, Kassel
27 min walk • The Karlsaue Park is a public and inner-city park of 1.50 km2 in Kassel. It was redesigned as a landscape garden in 1785 and consists of a mixture of visible Baroque garden elements and arranged “natural areas”.
1.2 miS
51°18'4"N • 9°29'58"E
Auebad Kassel, Kassel
32 min walk • Amusement, Water park, Swimming
0.6 miS
Museum, Art museum
New Gallery, Kassel
16 min walk • The Neue Galerie is an art museum in Kassel in the state of Hesse, in Germany. The building was constructed between 1871 and 1877 as a museum for works of the Old Masters.
0.4 miSE
Museum with temporary art exhibitions
Fridericianum, Kassel
11 min walk • The Fridericianum is a museum in Kassel, Germany. Built in 1779, it is one of the oldest public museums in Europe. Since 1955 the quinquennial art festival documenta is centred on the site. The exhibition building itself was fully renovated by 1982.
0.6 miSE
Museum, Art museum, Event space
documenta-Halle, Kassel
15 min walk • documenta is an exhibition of contemporary art which takes place every five years in Kassel, Germany. It was founded by artist, teacher and curator Arnold Bode in 1955 as part of the Bundesgartenschau which took place in Kassel at that time.
0.5 miE
Church, Gothic architecture
St Martin's Church, Kassel
12 min walk • St Martin's Church is a Protestant parish church in Kassel, Hesse, Germany. It is also the preaching-church of the bishop of the Evangelical Church of Hesse Electorate-Waldeck. It is in the Gothic style and was begun in 1364 and completed in 1462, dedicated to St. Martin of Tours.
0.5 miE
Synagogue
Kassel Synagogue, Kassel
14 min walk • The Kassel Synagogue is the description given to a succession of prayer houses of the Jewish community in Kassel, Hesse.
0.5 miS
Museum, Art museum
Hessisches Landesmuseum, Kassel
14 min walk • The Hessian State Museum is an art museum located in Kassel, Germany. It is currently closed for renovations. The collection ranges from the Paleolithic Age to the present. The museum is also home to the German Wallpaper Museum. It is part of the Museumslandschaft Hessen Kassel.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which popular attractions are close to Man walking to the sky?

Nearby attractions include Spohr Museum, Kassel (4 min walk), Stadtmuseum Kassel, Kassel (6 min walk), Linear-Uhr, Kassel (7 min walk), Luther Church, Kassel (8 min walk).

How to get to Man walking to the sky by public transport?

The nearest stations to Man walking to the sky:

Bus

Hauptbahnhof • Lines: 10, 16, 17, 32, 37, 500 (2 min walk)
Hauptbahnhof Nord • Lines: 17, 32, 37, 500 (2 min walk)

Train

Kassel Hauptbahnhof (2 min walk)

Tram

Hauptbahnhof • Lines: 7, Rt1, Rt4, Rt5 (3 min walk)
Scheidemannplatz • Lines: 7, Rt1, Rt4, Rt5 (4 min walk)