Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Sweden Kvarntorp A Pile of Art
AO Edited

A Pile of Art

An eclectic sculpture park rises atop a giant pile of ashes in Sweden.

Kvarntorp, Sweden

Added By
Henrik Johansson
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
The Kvarntorp Pile offers a spectacular view over the surrounding landscape.   hrnick / Atlas Obscura User
“Yggdrasil” by Cecilia Jansson (2015) in August 2018   AURELIEN / Atlas Obscura User
“Kvarntorpsmalanganer” by Lenny Clarhäll (1999) in August 2018   AURELIEN / Atlas Obscura User
“Absit Omen” by Kent Karlsson (2003) in August 2018   AURELIEN / Atlas Obscura User
One of the sculptures.   hrnick / Atlas Obscura User
One of the pieces on top of the Kvarntorp Pile.   hrnick / Atlas Obscura User
One of the pieces on top of the Kvarntorp Pile.   hrnick / Atlas Obscura User
One of the pieces on top of the Kvarntorp Pile.   hrnick / Atlas Obscura User
Hot steam coming from underground.   hrnick / Atlas Obscura User
“Half girl” by Anders Krisár (2016) in August 2018   AURELIEN / Atlas Obscura User
The stairs leading up to the top.   hrnick / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Rising 330 feet above the plains outside the town of Kumla, Sweden, the Kvarntorp Pile is hard to miss. But there’s more to it than first meets the eye. What was once a heap of ashes left over from producing oil has today turned into a whimsical creative landscape.

A Pile of Art, an eclectic exhibit containing about 30 sculptures, is spread out atop the pile. It’s a strange collection of art, set atop an even stranger manmade hill.

The Kvarntorp Pile (Kvarntorpshögen in Swedish) is a result of World War II. It’s where the country processed shale to extract the oil needed to supply its military. Throughout the war, and continuing onward for a couple more decades, the ovens in the area produced the precious black gold the world still so desperately desires. They also produced some 23 million tons of ashes, which eventually grew in to a gigantic pile that towered over the surrounding landscape.

Today, many years after the oil extraction ended in 1966, steam can still be seen rising from the ground at the Kvarntorp Pile. The ashes put there had a temperature that averaged about 1100° F, and whatever combustible material that was still there continued to burn underground. Even now, temperatures of up to 1300° F have been detected, though considerably lower temperatures are more common. Luckily, there isn't anything to worry about—the steam is mainly just water vapor, and it’s risk-free to inhale. The scattered “No Entry” signs should, however, be adhered to since sinkholes do appear in some areas.

A Pile of Art opened in 1998, and new additions are typically added each year. During the summer, concerts and theatrical performances are held near the sculpture park.

Related Tags

Sculptures Art Industrial World War Ii Sculpture Gardens Military

Know Before You Go

There is no admission to A Pile of Art and parking is free. The road leading up to the top is open from 10 a.m. to 9.30 p.m. through May to September, but it can be reached by foot during all months of the year. In June, July, and August there is a cafe and a building for smaller exhibitions open between 12.30 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. A Pile of Art is located 12 miles south of the city of Örebro along road 51 or 7 miles east of Kumla. There are also buses going there from Kumla.

Community Contributors

Added By

hrnick

Edited By

AURELIEN

  • AURELIEN

Published

July 31, 2017

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • www.kumla.se/download/18.f36d14315437bafd7928ad/1462361858781/Risk-+och+sårbarhetsanalys.pdf
  • http://kph.kumla.com/index-en.htm
  • https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kvarntorpsh%C3%B6gen
  • http://gvc.gu.se/digitalAssets/1501/1501719_b796.pdf
  • https://www.visitkumla.se/gora/aktorer/konst-pa-hog/
A Pile of Art
Kvarntorp
Sweden
59.125702, 15.254307
Visit Website

Nearby Places

Forsby-Köping Limestone Cableway

Forsby, Sweden

miles away

Site of Doverstorp Refugee Camp

Finspång NO, Sweden

miles away

Cirkulation II

Linköping, Sweden

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Sweden

Sweden

Europe

Places 381
Stories 42

Nearby Places

Forsby-Köping Limestone Cableway

Forsby, Sweden

miles away

Site of Doverstorp Refugee Camp

Finspång NO, Sweden

miles away

Cirkulation II

Linköping, Sweden

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Sweden

Sweden

Europe

Places 381
Stories 42

Related Places

  • Tübingen, Germany

    Silcher Monument

    This statue has a painful history, but activists have since recontextualized it as a way to educate visitors about the dangers posed by fascist regimes.

  • The foot.

    Edinburgh, Scotland

    'The Manuscript of Monte Cassino'

    This sculpture of disembodied body parts forms a poignant memory of the horrors of World War II.

  • Sunderland, England

    The Red House

    An enigmatic sculpture depicts a ruined home with debris stretching for over half a mile along the river.

  • Kunštát, Czechia

    Cave of the Blanik Knights

    An army of sleeping knights sculpted by a self-taught local artist beautifully depict an old Czech legend.

  • “Interrupted Flight” monument at Šumarice Memorial Park

    Kragujevac, Serbia

    Šumarice Memorial Park

    Abstract monuments express sorrow and resilience at the site of a horrific massacre in Nazi-occupied Serbia.

  • Look beyond these tank creatures!

    Hillsdale, New York

    Circle Museum

    Eight whimsical acres of metal art.

  • David Černý’s “Feast of Giants” bus stop shelter.

    Liberec, Czechia

    Hostina Obrů (Feast of Giants)

    An unusual bronze bus shelter is actually an art installation commenting on the city's history with the Nazi party.

  • Cow up a Tree, Australian history and humor

    Melbourne, Australia

    Cow Up a Tree

    This piece of Australian modern art is part joke and part history.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.