Wellington: For more than ten years, two enormous eagle sculptures inspired by The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings have loomed over travelers at New Zealand’s Wellington Airport. These iconic birds will be removed from the ceiling to make way for a new mystery installation, according to airport authorities.
Created by Wētā Workshop, the same New Zealand-based company behind the costumes and props for Peter Jackson’s film adaptations, the sculptures were first unveiled in 2013, coinciding with the release of The Hobbit trilogy.
Each eagle is made of polystyrene and reinforced with an internal steel skeleton, featuring hundreds of intricately crafted feathers, with the largest feather stretching 2.4 meters (8 feet).
The eagles themselves each weigh 1.2 tons (1,200 kg) and span 15 meters (49 feet) in wingspan. One of the sculptures includes a detailed figure of the wizard Gandalf riding on its back.
These airborne sculptures have become a landmark at the airport, welcoming fans of Tolkien’s fantasy world drawn to New Zealand’s dramatic landscapes, which served as the backdrop for Jackson’s films. The birds depict the great eagles from Tolkien’s novels, often arriving as messengers or saviors.
Wellington Airport’s CEO, Matt Clarke, acknowledged the emotional aspect of their departure. “It’s not unusual to see airborne departures from Wellington Airport, but in this case, it will be emotional for us,” CEO said in a statement.
While the giant eagles will be placed in storage for now, there are no long-term plans for their future display. However, Clarke revealed that the airport is working once again with Wētā Workshop on a ‘unique, locally themed replacement,’ set to be unveiled later this year.
Despite the removal of the eagles, fans of The Hobbit franchise will still have something to look forward to, Smaug the Magnificent, the fearsome dragon from the story, will remain on display in the airport’s check-in area.
In 2014, one of the eagle sculptures came crashing down during an earthquake. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
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