Created over a decade from 1991 to 2001 by sculptor Colin Wilbourn and writer Chaz Brenchley, the St Peter’s Riverside Sculpture Trail honours the city’s rich past, with 13 artworks in total.
Over the years, the original trail has been added to, with three large-scale sculptures joining the trail last year alone.
But have you spotted them all? Here’s the story behind all of the artworks that hug the Riverside from Wearmouth Bridge en route to Roker.
1. High Tide, Roker Harbour
If you start the trail from the seafront end, the original trail begins with High Tide at Roker Beach. Designed and made by Karl Fisher (assisted by Colin Wilbourn and Craig Knowles), High Tide was the last sculpture produced for the trail. Seven hemispheres, representing phases of the moon, sit on the rocks in the harbour. Around the rim of each piece, poignant words were added by Chaz Brenchley. | Sunderland Echo
2. Stone Stair Carpet, Roker Marina
Walk round to Roker Marina, and the Stone Stair Carpet is easy to miss as it descends into the water - but it's worth finding. The steps, made from reclaimed sandstone, were carved by Colin Wilbourn to represent a patterned stair carpet which gradually changes as it nears the seawater into images of seaweed and chains. | Sunderland Echo
3. Molly, outside National Glass Centre
Last year saw the arrival of Molly on St Peter's Riverside, a life-size statue honouring the women who kept Sunderland's shipyards afloat during the world wars. She was created by Dr Ron Lawson and is one of the only sculptures in the area depicting a female figure. | Sunderland Echo
4. It Says Here, St Peter's Riverside
It Says Here is one of two major new works unveiled by Ray Lonsdale last year on St Peter's Riverside to honour Sunderland's shipbuilding heritage. Towering at 2.7metres high, it depicts two shipyard workers having their lunch together, reading about the closure of the yards in the Sunderland Echo, and captures the mood of people in the city as the industry came to the end of its life | Sunderland Echo