Legend says that three magical creatures landed in the 305 back in 2019. The trolls, Joen, Tergen and Bertha, took up residence in Miami three years ago and have since made it their home to protect the local nature.
Brought to life by Danish artist, Thomas Dambo, using reclaimed wood and recycled materials, the colossal trolls are part of his project, “The great story of the little people and the giant trolls.” Scattered across the world, this prolific family of trolls, all sculpted out of scrap wood and recycled materials, are a group of conservationists tired of bearing witness to the continuous destruction of nature.
While most trolls in Norse mythology tend to have a rather negative reputation, Miami’s giant trolls seem to have quite a peaceful and sweet disposition. In Wynwood, you’ll find Joen, perpetually mesmerized by the human fascination with cars, or as he calls them “giant beetles.”
Meanwhile, Tergen and his sister Bertha have chosen greener pastures. These two sibling trolls are camped out in Pinecrest Gardens and you can usually find them relaxing below a great Bayan tree — a plant of which they’re quite fond of.
Bertha, Tergen and Joen aren’t the only trolls living in Florida. In fact, if you head up to North Florida, you’ll find their distant cousins have taken up residence at the Spirit of The Suwanee Music Park — but they’re a tad bit scarier than their Miami relatives.
Like many of their colossal family members, Joen, Bertha and Tergen, carry their own stories in the shape of short poems which you can read on Dambo’s website to discover more of the trolls’ journey to the Sunshine State.
And if you feel like taking a little virtual tour, make sure to check out The Great Story’s troll map where you’ll be able to sneak a peek at this international troll family in its natural habitat!
