Towns and cities all around the world are home to countless statues and monuments honoring events, military commanders, and public figures who made a considerable impact on history. People travel far and wide to see them.
But not all monuments are created equal.
Below are some of the largest statues in the world, towering hundreds of feet in the air. Oftentimes, you can see them from miles around. Some are religious, some are historical, but all are important artifacts and monuments.
1. The Mamayev Monument, Volgograd, Russia
This statue was erected in 1967 as a monument to the Battle of Stalingrad during World War II, with the 200 steps leading to the monument representing the number of days of battle.
2. Emperors Yan and Huang, Zhengzhou, China
Constructed over the course of 20 years, this monument pays tribute to mythical emperors Yan and Huang.
3. The Leshan Giant Buddha, Leshan, China
Sculpted out of a cliff face and standing at 231 feet, this is the largest stone Buddha in the world.
4. Lord Murugan, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
This statue stands outside of the Batu Caves in Malaysia. It”s the world”s tallest statue of Hindu deity Murugan, standing 140 feet tall.
5. Spring Temple Buddha, Zhaocun, China
While The Leshan Giant Buddha is the tallest stone Buddha, the Spring Temple Buddha is the tallest statue in the world. Built in 2002, this humongous steel statue is 420 feet tall.
6. Peter the Great, Moscow, Russia
Towering 315 feet off the ground, this monument was built in 1997 and was designed by Zurab Tsereteli.
7. Guanyin of Lianhuashan, China
This seaward-facing statue is made of nearly 20 pounds of gold and 120 tons of bronze. It stands at a little over 130 feet tall.
8. The Laykyun Setkyar, Khatakan Taung, Myanmar
This gilded statue stands at a whopping 381 feet tall and took 12 years to build.
9. Virgin Mary, Trujillo, Venezuela
Sculpted in 1993 by Manuel de la Fuente, this is the largest statue of the Virgin Mary in the world, standing at 153 feet tall.
10. The Guan Yin of the South Sea of Sanya, China
After six years of construction, the statue was finally completed in 2005, and was enshrined during a ceremony attended by 10 of thousands of pilgrims.
11. Mother of the Motherland, Kiev, Ukraine
Completed in 1981, this statue”s shield bears the emblem of the Soviet Union. Counting its raised sword, the height of the statue is 335 feet.
12. Hanuman, Nandura, India
This 105-foot-tall statue is of the Hindu god Hanuman, who is featured in many Indian texts.
13. African Renaissance Monument, Dakar, Senegal
This controversial statue was designed by Pierre Goudiaby. Construction on it finished in 2010. Standing at 160 feet tall, it celebrates the fight for Africa”s independence from France.
14. Samantabhadra, Sichuan, China
Built in 2005, this massive statue stands at the summit of Mount Emei and is 157 feet tall.
15. Shiva of Murudeshwara, India
This religious monument was built in 2006 and is a grand total of 123 feet tall. It is the second tallest Shiva statue in the world.
16. The Genghis Khan Equestrian Statue, near Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
This 131-foot-tall statue was built in 2008 and features a gigantic Genghis Khan on horseback. Khan was the leader of the Mongol Empire.
(via io9)
The size of these statues is jaw-dropping. They”re all extremely important landmarks, and if you liked the pictures, imagine how amazing it would be to see these monuments in person.
