Victor's Way

Victor's Way[1]
Type Sculpture and philosophy park[1]
Location near Roundwood, County Wicklow, Ireland
Coordinates 53°05′09″N 6°13′11″W / 53.085765°N 6.219654°W / 53.085765; -6.219654Coordinates: 53°05′09″N 6°13′11″W / 53.085765°N 6.219654°W / 53.085765; -6.219654
Area 9 hectares
Owned by Victor Langheld
Status Open during summer months[2]
Collections Statues
Website www.victorsway.eu

Victor's Way (previously Victoria's Way), located near Roundwood, County Wicklow, Ireland, is a privately owned meditation garden notable for its black granite sculptures. The 9-hectare property includes a number of small lakes and forested areas. A plaque by the entrance says the park is dedicated to cryptographer Alan Turing.

The park closed in 2015 as Victoria's Way with the owner stating "Too may day-trippers came turned it into a fun park for parents with children. It was designed as a contemplative garden for over 28's." but was then re-opened as Victor's Way April 15, 2016 with new age restrictions and higher entrance fee.[3] The name change is actually reverting to its original name [4]

The park is open to the public during the summer months (15 April – 25 September), with admission for adults only with a minimum contribution.[2]

Sculptures

Most of the park's statues are made of black granite, with some in bronze and range in height from 1.5m to 4.9m.[5] The first structure by the entrance is a sculpted tunnel based on the idea of vagina dentata. The first statue added to the park was the fasting Buddha.[6]

Eight statues are dedicated to Ganesha, showing the elephant god dancing, reading, and playing musical instruments.[7] All the Ganesha sculptures were made in Tamil Nadu, India, and each took five craftsmen a year to make.[8]

Other statues include a large python-shaped seat, a solitary index finger pointing at the sky, and interpretations of Buddha, Shiva, Eve, and others.

Many of the sculptures include small motifs of modernity, such as a small pint of Guinness beside a Ganesha and a mobile telephone tucked into the back of a starving Buddha.[9]

Ownership

The park is owned and maintained by Victor Langheld, who was born in 1940 in Berlin and has lived with a number of different religious orders in Thailand, Japan, and Sri Lanka.[10] Family inheritance allowed Langheld to spend most of his adult life travelling to spiritual sites in Asia, before travelling to Ireland and sponsoring the construction of the sculpture park.

Langheld designed most of the sculptures,[8] and continues to curate the park and welcome visitors.

References

  1. 1 2 "Victor's way Indian sculpture park Roundwood Co. Wicklow Ireland by Martin Varghese/IvisionIreland". youtube.com. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Victor's Way Opening Times & Access". victorsway.eu. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  3. ↑ "Victor's Way Q&A answers by Victor Langheld". tripadvisor.co.uk. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  4. ↑ "Victoria's Way - Originally Victor's Way (1:58s)". youtube. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  5. ↑ Victoria's Way, Spiritual Sculpture Park Archived September 21, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
  6. ↑ "Victoria's Way - First Statue (2:33s)". youtube. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  7. ↑ The Irish Ganesh Exhibition, @ Victoria's Way, Roundwood, Co Wicklow
  8. 1 2 David Kenny's Erindipity
  9. ↑ Wicklow Daily Photo: Indian Sculpture Park VI
  10. ↑ Victor, of Victoria's Way Archived January 24, 2010, at the Wayback Machine.
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