Controversy over a 15-foot tall Viking statue in Canada has heated up in the town of Gimli - specifically over the horns on its helmet, which some say arent realistic.
With a battle axe in one hand, a horn in the other and a cape hanging down its back, the Viking statue is almost entirely realistic aside from one recognizable detail - the horns that poke out on the side of the battle warriors helmet.
Theres never been a Viking helmet found with horns, Julianna Roberts, executive director of the New Iceland Heritage Museum, told CTV News.
The historical accuracy of the horns was put into question and prompted a debate on social media after a Gimli resident asked if there had ever been a discussion about removing them.
A 15-foot Viking in Canada is causing controversy solely due to his horns - and some residents took to social media to call for a horn-removal operation
The statue overlooks the water of Gimli, a town along the shore of Lake Winnipeg
Its kind of embarassing, the resident wrote, according to CTV News.
Another native agreed, writing that they were hoping they were removed when the statue underwent a two-week refurbishing process that cost a grand total of $60,000 in 2015.
But others seemed to find the debate silly, noting that the statue would feel naked without them, and whether it had horns or not didnt take away from how impressive it is.
The 57-year-old statue was conceptualized by Gissur Eliasson, a respected Canadian painting instructor, whose original sketch left out the horns.
But the Gimli Chamber of Commerce intervened - they had already ordered a substantial amount of plastic helmets with horns, and urged the artist to use them, according to Public Delivery.
Julianna Roberts, the executive director of the New Iceland Heritage Museum, noted that the horns are not historically accurate
The Viking, built in 1967, was intended to celebrate the countrys 100 birthday and the communitys strong ties to Iceland
There is no evidence pointing to the fact that horned helmets were worn during armed conflicts, contrary to how Viking toys in the Museum giftshop may look.
Without a doubt, the ones with the horns sell way faster than the ones without the horns, Roberts added.
Similar to the Statue of Liberty in New York, the Viking statue that towers along the shores of Lake Winnipeg is a staple for those visiting what is known as the Heart of New Iceland.
Its great! It brings a lot of people and its been here forever! added another resident, Mark Quberko.
Created in 1967 to celebrate the countrys 100 birthday and the communitys strong ties to Iceland, the attraction sees around 200,000 visitors a year.
An annual festival hosted in the heart of Gimli called the Icelandic Festival of Manitoba attracts people from all corners of the world for a chance to experience Icelandic culture and heritage
It wouldnt be a festival without a Viking battle re-enactment, which can be found at the festival in August - but without horns of course
The Viking stands tall and proud while overlooking the water in its home of Viking Park. Anyone is welcome to check it out at any hour of the day, all year round.
Theres even an annual festival that centers around the statue called the Icelandic Festival Of Manitoba, which attracts people from all corners of the world for a chance to experience Icelandic culture and heritage at the very heart of Gimli.
Its one of the longest-running Icelandic festivals in the world.
Food vendors, crafts, scavenger hunts, live music, rides, fireworks, beverage gardens, sandcastle contests and sport tournaments are just a handful of activities offered to festival-goers every long weekend of August.
But it wouldnt be a true Viking festival without battle re-enactments - without the horns, of course.