Two giant sculptures, inspired by Hobbit franchise have been the highlight of Wellington Airport, New Zealand for over a decade.
On Monday, May 5, the airport authorities revealed that they are removing the sculptures hanging from the ceiling on Friday for some revamping.
With 50-foot wingspans, weighing 2,600 pounds each of the sculptures hovering in the terminal have delighted tourists and became the point of amusement for children since 2013.
The eagles in The Hobbit world
The birds appear as messengers in JRR Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, which were adapted to film by New Zealand's filmmaker Sir Peter Jackson.
Wellington Airport chief executive Matt Clarke shared in a statement, "It's not unusual to see airborne departures from Wellington Airport, but in this case, it will be emotional for us."
The giant eagles will be put in a storage and no further plans have been shared regarding the sculptures.
However, other Hobbit-inspired sculptures such as Smaug the Magnificent,and the dragon will continue to be displayed at the check-in area.
The giant sculptures were produced by Wētā Workshop, the New Zealand-based company that made costumes and props for The Lord of the Rings franchise.
Sharing future plans, Clare noted, "We're working with the Wētā Workshop on some exciting plans for a unique, locally themed replacement to their place."
Notably, in 2014, one of the eagles came crashing down because of earthquake, however no one was injured from the accident.
