Nimis

On July 30. 1980, Lars Vilks began building a series of sculptures made of driftwood in the nature reserve Kullaberg, in the northwest corner of county Skåne. A few days later the sculpture was named “Nimis”. Vilks worked on the sculpture for two years before it was “discovered” by the local authorities in 1982. Once it was “discovered”, a series of legal battles began that went on and off until 2004.

Although there were ongoing court cases, Vilks continued working on and expanding Nimis until it included multiple towers and the towers were connected by a massive wooden labyrinthe that allows visitors to climb down from the side of the mountain to the shore.

Nimis is in the heart of Ladonia, and lies a few kilometres northwest of the town of Arild and somewhat farther from the town of Mölle. It can only be reached on foot following a well-worn path with yellow “N”s painted on trees and fences.

The path begins as an easy stroll past Himmelstorp, a well-preserved eighteenth-century farmstead, but quickly becomes a steep and rocky climb down to the coast. If you’re planning to visit Nimis and Ladonia, please wear good hiking shoes, and remember that getting *down* to Nimis is the easy part. Getting back up and out is a different story.

While You’re in Ladonia...

See if you can find:

• The “Nelson” plaque that marks the final resting place of the baby white rhino, Nelson, who was born in a Swedish zoo in the 90s, but only lived about a week and a half. His ashes were brought to Ladonia to be buried.
• The Ladonian Pear Tree… it really bears fruit!
• The Ladonian Library
• The Queen’s Throne
• The Seal Bones… they might still be there. The seal washed ashore in the summer of 2014 (and it was fairly unpleasant for awhile there, but he/she was too big to move back out to the ocean). Eventually, the poor seal was reduced to bones by time and weather. The Ladonian Ministry of Health has assured us that the seal did not die of ebola… or COVID. Definitely not COVID.