Head for the Right Bridge
Plenty of visitors go looking for a troll under the Fremont Bridge, but that is the wrong bridge. The low Fremont Bridge carries Fremont Avenue across the canal and opens for boats. The Troll makes its home under the much taller Aurora Bridge, a few blocks west and up the hill.
Get Up Close With the Troll and Its Beetle
Walk right up and the Troll turns out to be bigger than most people expect, about 18 feet high and roughly 13,000 pounds. The artists shaped it from steel rebar, wire and concrete, which gives the beard and hair their rough, shaggy texture.
Take a closer look at the car in its left hand: it is an actual Volkswagen Beetle, still wearing a California license plate. When the Troll was new, the Beetle held a time capsule that included a plaster bust of Elvis Presley. Vandals later stole the bust, so do not expect to find it today.
Meet the Artists and the Folklore
Four artists created the sculpture: Steve Badanes, Will Martin, Donna Walter and Ross Whitehead. Their troll under a bridge comes straight from Norwegian folklore, a fitting nod in a city with deep Scandinavian roots.
The artists hold copyright on images of the Troll and have taken legal action against businesses that used its likeness commercially without written permission. Snap all the personal photos you like, since that is what most visitors come for, and nonprofit groups may use the image for free.
How a Troll Ended Up Under a Bridge
The Troll was built in 1990 after the Fremont Arts Council held a competition for the empty space under the bridge. Back then, the spot had become a place for dumped mattresses, trash and people sleeping rough, and organizers believed a piece of art would change how the space was used.
Choosing the funky Troll also reflected neighborhood worries about growth. New apartment buildings and an office park were reshaping what had been a largely residential area, and a big, playful sculpture felt like a way to hold on to Fremont's character.
A Complicated Neighbor
The sculpture displaced people who had been living under the bridge, and some complained right away. In 1991, neighbors paid for bright floodlights to discourage late-night vandalism and dumping. Graffiti has remained a recurring problem, though local volunteers regularly clean the Troll.
In early 2019, the city cleared encampments next to the sculpture after repeated drug overdoses nearby. That history is part of the Troll's story, and it explains why the site sometimes looks more cared for than at other times.
Recent Upgrades
The stretch of street running downhill from the Troll to N 34th Street was renamed Troll Avenue in its honor in 2005. Climb the stairway beside the sculpture and you are using steps rebuilt in September 2023 with Move Seattle levy funds. Volunteers also planned new plantings around the site that fall.
Spot the Troll in Movies, Games and Hockey
The Troll has enjoyed a surprisingly long screen career. Watch for it in a scene from the 1999 romantic comedy 10 Things I Hate About You, and gamers may recognize it from Life is Strange, where a photo shows the main character and friends climbing on it.
Because the final season of the TV series Once Upon a Time filmed in Vancouver, the production built a replica. A 2013 documentary, The Hall of Giants: The Story of Fremont and the Troll, played at several film festivals, and the sculpture has even inspired a song by a Chicago rock band.
Local pride runs deep. In 2022, the Seattle Kraken introduced Buoy, a mascot billed as the Troll's nephew, and that same year Seattle Repertory Theatre staged Lydia and the Troll, a play built around the sculpture. Back in 2011, there was even a licensed Troll Chia Pet.
Tips for Visiting the Fremont Troll
- Cost: The Troll is public art on a city street, so there is no admission.
- Photos: Step back to fit the whole figure and the Beetle in one frame, and keep in mind that midday light under the bridge can be dim.
- Respect the art: The sculpture has suffered vandalism over the years, so treat it gently and leave no trash behind.
- Walk in: Troll Avenue N leads straight to it, and the neighborhood is easy to explore on foot.
The Troll is just the start. Fremont jokingly calls itself the Center of the Universe, and its public art backs up the claim. Wander over to see a statue of Vladimir Lenin, salvaged from Slovakia after 1989, that still stirs debate. The Fremont Rocket, made from an aircraft tail boom, and the sculpture Waiting for the Interurban are other favorites.
Parks, Books and a Sunday Market
For views over the city, climb to Fremont Peak Park, a small volunteer-built hilltop park with an art path inspired by the Minotaur myth. Closer to the Troll, stop by the Fremont Library on N 35th Street, an official City of Seattle landmark.
Visiting on a Sunday? Pair the Troll with the year-round Fremont Sunday Market, which lists hours of 10 am to 4 pm, though schedules can change, so confirm before you go. Then follow the Burke-Gilman Trail along the canal east to Gas Works Park on Lake Union.
Planning a longer day? Browse more Seattle neighborhoods or our roundup of things to do in Seattle.
