Humans have been building statues for centuries to honor great personalities, Gods, Goddesses, and mythological creatures. Most of them have become popular tourist attractions due to their heights, artistic expressions, religious and historical significance. Here we take a look at the top 10 tallest statues in the world. But before that, we should understand what a statue is. It’s a free-standing sculpture representing people or animals partially or in their entirety.
Top 10 tallest statues in the world
The height of a statue includes the highest part of the figure but excludes the height of any pedestal or base platform on which the statue stands.
10- Awaji Kannon, 80 meters, Japan
Image Source: Mti [CC BY-SA 3.0], from Wikimedia CommonsJapan is home to some of the world’s tallest statues. Awaji Kannon is an 80-meter-tall statue depicting popular Buddhist goddess Guanyin. It is located on the Awaji Island of Japan’s Hyogo Prefecture. According to some experts, it was the tallest statue when it was completed in 1982. Now it has slipped to the 10th place.
9- Rodina-Mat’ Zovyot (The Motherland Calls), 85 meters, Russia
Image Source: www.volganet.ru [CC BY-SA 3.0 or GFDL 1.3] Wikimedia CommonsThe Motherland Calls statue is located in the Mamayev Kurgan World War II memorial complex in Volgograd, Russia. It’s the tallest statue in Russia and the tallest statue of a woman in the world. According to experts, it’s also the second largest free-standing non-religious statue on the planet.
8- Dai Kannon of Kita no Miyako Park, 88 meters, Japan
Image Source: Yorkisx [CC BY-SA 4.0], from Wikimedia Commons
It held the title of the world’s tallest statue since its opening in 1989 until 1991. The statue depicts Avalokitesvara or the bodhisattva Guanyin. It stands 88 meters (289 feet) tall in Takasaki, Japan.
7- Great Buddha of Thailand, 92 meters, Thailand
Image Source: Stephanie Richard [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia CommonsThe Great Buddha of Thailand is the tallest statue in Thailand at the height of 92 meters. It’s also a popular tourist attraction. The construction of this seated figure began in 1990 and was completed in 2008. The Great Buddha sits at the Wat Muang Temple in Ang Thong Province. The entire statue is made of cement and covered in golden paint. No bronze or steel was used in its construction.
6- Qianshou Qianyan Guanyin of Weishan, 99 meters, China
Image Source: Huangdan2060 [CC0], from Wikimedia CommonsIt is a gilded bronze statue of Guan Yin, the Buddhist Goddess of compassion. It took the Chinese government almost six years to build this 99 meters tall monument. It has three different faces to symbolize the Goddess’ blessing all over the world.
5- Sendai Daikannon, 100 meters, Japan
contri from Yonezawa, Yamagata, Japan [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia CommonsThis 330 feet tall statue is located in Sendai, Japan. It is visible from most parts of the city of Sendai. It is a representation of the Japanese Buddhist Bodhisattva. You can use the elevators inside the structure to reach the top of the statue and enjoy a panoramic view of the city. The Goddess holds a water flask in one hand to pour the water of wisdom and a jewel in the other hand to grant wishes.
4- Ushiku Daibutsu, 100 meters, Japan
Image Source: naturepost /Pixabay
Ushiku Daibutsu means “Great Buddha in Ushiku.” This 100 meters tall statue is made entirely of bronze. Its construction was completed in 1993. It was the tallest statue in the world for nine years before losing that crown. This statue was built to commemorate the birth of Jodo Shinshu founder Shinran. There are four different levels within the structure – you can visit each of them using the elevators. The fourth level offers a beautiful view of the gardens around the monument. The third level houses more than 30,000 Buddha statues. The second level is used for scriptural studies while the lowest level is dedicated to music.
3- Laykyun Setkyar, 115.8 meters, Myanmar
Tetsuya Kitahata [CC BY-SA 4.0], from Wikimedia CommonsLocated in Monywa, it is the largest statue in Myanmar and third tallest on the planet. There is also an 89 meters long lying Buddha next to it. Construction work on the statue began in 1996 and was completed in 2008. There are elevators within to take visitors to the top for a panoramic view of the city. The structure stands on a 13.5-meter throne and is surrounded by 9000 Bodhi trees.
2- Spring Temple Buddha, 128 meters, China
Zgpdszz [CC BY-SA 3.0], from Wikimedia CommonsThe Spring Temple Buddha in Lushan County of Henan province was the tallest statue on the planet until a few months ago. The structure stands on a 20-meter lotus throne. Its construction began in 1997 and was completed in 2008. The statue gets its name from the nearby hot spring, whose water is said to have curative properties. The Chinese government built this statue in response to the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddha by the Taliban in Afghanistan.
1- Statue of Unity, 182 meters, India
The 182 meters tall Statue of Unity was inaugurated on October 31, 2018 near the city of Vadodara in the Indian state of Gujarat. It depicts Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first home minister of independent India. Often referred to as the Iron Man, Sardar Patel was one of the founding fathers of India. It was constructed in just 42 months at the cost of roughly $400 million.
These are the world’s top 10 tallest statues. Most of them are in Asian countries and depict Buddhist Gods or Goddesses. How many of them have you visited so far? Let us know in the comments below.
