Ole Bolle - Portland's Dambo Troll

I interrupt my Italy trip recaps to bring you a special collection of photos.  This is for my blogging buddy Tom the Backroads Traveler, who through his blog posts introduced me to the Dambo Trolls.

Ole Bolle looking for treats inside this cabin

Thomas Dambo is a Danish artist who specializes in creating giant wooden sculptures out of recycled materials.  His subjects have always been trolls, mythical creatures that are a huge part of Scandinavian folklore.  In the early 2010s, Dambo began an ambitious project he called the "Trail of a Thousand Trolls" aiming to build one thousand troll sculptures throughout the world.  From his first troll, finished in 2014 to July of 2025, Dambo and his team have built 170 trolls.  These fantastic sculptures are installed in various locations throughout 20 countries.

Ole Bolle was created by Danish artist Thomas Dambo

I first learned about the Dambo Trolls thanks to blogging buddy Tom, who featured several photos of these trolls in his posts.  Then during last year's Scandinavia trip, one of my tour-mates mentioned she was on a mission to visit as many Dambo trolls as she could.  While in Copenhagen, my tour-mate had discovered one of the local trolls, and was ecstatic about crossing it off her list.  She mentioned that several trolls could be found in the Seattle area, my neighbor city to the north.

Backside view - love the foot!

I don't remember how it first came onto my radar, but I was delighted to learn that my home town of Portland had their very own Dambo troll.  Assembled in the summer of 2023, this troll was part of the Northwest Trolls Project called Northwest Troll: Way of the Bird King.  This artistic movement was responsible for bringing six of these famous Dambo sculptures to the Pacific Northwest.  Five trolls were located in the Seattle area, but Portland received number six.

View from inside the cabin

Portland's troll is named Olle Bolle and was fittingly erected on the Nordic Northwest campus, a place that celebrates Scandinavian culture.  Assembled with recycled wood by a team of volunteers, this unique, larger-than-life creature is depicted tearing the roof off a tiny cabin and peering inside, looking for treats.

Far side view

Although I'd always meant to check out the Portland Dambo troll, for some reason I never made the effort to find it.  Then last week another of Tom's troll posts finally inspired me enough to go see if for myself.  After a Google search I discovered Ole Bolle was a mere 15 minute drive from where I live.  Okay, no more excuses!  I grabbed my camera and headed out.

The details are stunning

I discovered the Nordic Northwest campus was in a gorgeous wooded area, featuring a museum (which I didn't visit on this trip - next time!) and a cluster of cute, red wooden cabins huddled underneath the branches of several tall Douglas firs.

Adjacent Swedish cabin - so cute!

Each cabin featured a different Scandinavian country - Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland.  All these structures were whimsically decorated to honor their specific nation's heritage.

Amazing work of art

Ole Bolle was located in this cabin village, depicted kneeling down tearing the roof off a tiny home.  I was surprised by how tall he was - I later learned he measured 19 feet in height!  I marveled at the intricate pattern of the overlapping lumber pieces used to create his main body.  His hands and feet were especially detailed - right down to the finger and toenails!

You can see how large this troll really is

On this midsummer weekday the place was never very busy, but it did have a constant stream of visitors.  It was fun to watch the people's reactions as they approached this enormous sculpture.  I chatted with one lady who was on a mission to visit as many Dambo Trolls as she could.  Apparently there are many folks who have made this their goal.  To assist these troll seekers, Thomas Dambo features a trollmap on his website:  https://www.thomasdambo.com/trollmap

The Nordic Northwest campus featured several tidy red cabins

Another woman I spoke with mentioned that these troll sculptures are intended to remain in place and slowly deteriorate, rotting away until their materials finally return to the earth.  The ultimate recycling project!  Although Ole Bolle still looked to be in good shape, I did notice a woodpecker hole drilled into one of his upper arms.

Taking a photo from inside

I spent a fun hour walking around the Nordic Northwest campus area, photographing my hometown Dambo Troll.  It was a great experience to see one of these impressive sculptures up close and in person.  Will I now become a troll follower and visit any more?  If the opportunity presents itself, maybe....