Troll that smells Christian blood

3D Model

Trold, der vejrer kristenblod (English: Troll that smells Christian blood) is a sculpture made by Niels Hansen Jacobsen (1861-1941).

It was modelled between 1895-96, and a bronze cast was ordered by brewer Carl Jacobsen in 1901-02. It was originally placed in front of Jacobsen’s church in Valby, Copenhagen, Jesuskirken, but was too controversial for the parish, so it was moved to the garden of Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek. In 2002 the church wanted the sculpture back, but the Glyptotek would not part with it, so a copy was made, and placed in front of the church.

The name of the statue is taken from a story in Norse folklore where the hero hides in the troll’s castle. Thereafter, whenever the troll enters the castle, he cries: “I smell a Christian man’s blood!”