Equestrian statue of Absalon

The statue represents Absalon as a military commander, mounted on a rearing horse, wearing mail and a helmet, holding an axe in his right hand.

The statue faces Christiansborg Palace on Slotsholmen, where Absalon's bishop's castle once stood, but he turns his head to the right, looking in the direction of Copenhagen City Hall.

On the front side is a coat of arms with a rosy cross and two intersecting Keys of Heaven, a reference to Absalon's status as Bishop of Roskilde.

Beginning on the right-hand side, a scroll around the three other sides reads: "He was brave, clever and visionary / a lover of learning / with a clean will the loyal son of Denmark" (Danish: Han var modig, snild og fremsynet / en ynder af lærdom / med ren vilje Danmarks trofaste søn).

Heide also wanted Georg Brandes to give a speech at the unveiling ceremony, but this was rejected by the political establishment who found his liberal views too controversial.