The Dala Horse - Dalahasten
The
”Dalahästen” is a wooden horse painted in bright, cheerful colours. To
most Swedes it is the original symbol of Sweden and is more powerful
than the Swedish flag!
The ”Dalahästen” made its international introduction at the World Exhibition in New York in 1939.
Originally the horse was a carved toy. Now it is a tourist item, handicraft, and ornament.
•
The biggest ”Dalahäst” in the world stands at the approach to Avesta.
It was unveiled in 1989, is 13 metres high and weighs 6.7 tons.
• The smallest produced so far measures 3.5 millimetres. Its decorations were painted by Gunilla Lindberg at Nusnäs.
• About 400,000 "Dalahästar" are produced every year. Twenty percent go for export.
credit: information from http://www.dalarna.se/kulturidalarna/eng/dalahast.html
