Tyska Kyrkan Weather Vane

From afar, weather vanes look like tiny structures swiveling in the wind. But get close to one, and you’ll realize they’re actually quite large. This one’s size isn’t the most impressive thing about it, as it’s a survivor of a devastating blaze.

Gamla Stan’s Tyska Kyrkan, or Old Town’s German Church, was built in 1672 for Stockholm’s growing German population. Starting out with a guild, school, and later the church, the Germans built a tiny enclave in the city which remains there to this day.

However, in 1878, the tower of the church was badly damaged by a fire and had to be almost completely rebuilt. One of the surviving elements was the church’s weather vane, an enormous brass rooster designed to catch the wind and rotate until it was pointing in its direction.

The church decided against putting the rooster back after the tower was rebuilt, opting instead to replace it with a new one. The original vane is on display in the church, within a glass case in the entrance hall.