This shot is taken from one of the committee rooms in the Civic Centre. The swans are in the Quadrangle of the Civic Centre, which is open to the public and a pleasant place to sit - the busy roads nearby notwithstanding. The five swans represent the five Nordic countries - Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, reflecting the close ties beween these countries and the North East (Newcastle is twinned with Bergen which sends us the Christmas tree at Haymarket every year).

The Civic Centre was opened by King Olav V of Norway. The 40th anniversary of the opening of the Civic Centre is on 14 November this year and King Olav V’s son, Harald V of Norway, will be coming to Newcastle to commemorate the occasion.

The sculpture is by David Wynne and more information can be found here and here.

Apparently, the tree that can be seen in the background grows very tasty cherries, if you can beat the pigeons. There is actually a car park under the Civic, so it only grows in seven feet of soil. Quite an achievement.

(Chris and Cassandra both took shots of these swans, but mine is from above. I think that makes it different enough. What do you think?)