The sculpture “Nimis”, in the Bay of Ladónia
To this unusual “country” born due to a judicial conflict between an artist and the Swedish state is not lacking personality – it is represented by a stone and a set of sticks. Even the clock is 3 minutes advanced.
A micro nation is a region that is self-proclaiming independent nation, even if this independence is not recognized to them by governments. They are usually founded by small groups of people and have no real control of territory, but claim sovereignty.
This is the case of Ladolocated in the small peninsula of “Kullen” in southern Sweden, a region full of biodiversity. This micro nation has a peculiar history-was born in 1980, and It originates in… statues.
This year, sculptor Lars Vicks began the construction of two sculptures made of wood and stone they gave to the coast. The sculpture, nicknamed “Nimis”, grew and growing, and its construction ended 4 decades.
It is currently 100 meters, and is a complex interconnection of wooden sticks, linked by a bridge, having become a tourist attraction of the region for its strange beauty. The problem? The structure It was made illegallywithout any kind of state license.
The construction was then earned the artist long years of fighting the Swedish justice, who sued Vicks. The statue was even set on fire, having two thirds of the structure was destroyed. The controversy extended to the whole country, and. the citizen of the region created a protest movement against the governmentwhich culminated in the creation of a self-proclaimed Republic of Ladonia.
The nation, recognized only unilaterally, has even a prime minister and a secretary of state. This last role was up to Lars Vicks itself, until the artist died in October 2021 in a road accident.
The Ladn, which in January 2024 had about 29,097 inhabitants, it is a monarchy, and has a constitution and elections for the government. Interestingly, there are no men on the throne – There can only be queens.
A hymn, a tongue and an unusual watch
The hymn of the Ladnia is probably the most unusual in the world – consists of the sound of a stone thrown to water, accompanied by a mystical corner. To make it even more unusual, the song was written… by the Minister of Health, Greve Jan Lothe.
But the strange things don’t get here. Apart from a coin of its own (Örtug), this place also has a language, which any linguist will consider something… poor. “THE Side Language consists of two words: ‘waaaaall’ and ‘ÿp’. Waaaaalll does not have a defined number of A’s and l’s, but they are always a unique number of each and more than l’s. Waaaaall is used lush, while ÿP is reserved for solemn or serious occasions, ”reads the Micro Nation officer.
As if it was not enough to arouse the curiosity of anyone, the Ladnian has a Different time zone from the rest of Sweden. The difference is… 3 minutes.
CAROLINA BASTOS PEREIRA, ZAP //
