Since ancient times, people erected mighty monuments in honor of divine images, expressing honor and respect and inspiring fear in the enemy.
The Egyptian Sphinx is considered a legendary statue of ancient times. At the time of construction, its dimensions seemed more than impressive.
But against the background of modern creations, the scale, of course, has faded. Today’s grandiose sculptures are already dedicated not only to the gods, but also to quite real personalities. Let’s remember the 6 highest statues in the world.
1. The largest Indian statue in the world!
The Burmese contender, which we’ll discuss in the next part, was just deposed by the world’s largest statue. The 240-meter monument was built in memory of the man who unified India and freed it from British rule.
The massive memorial honors Valabhai Patel, the first Deputy Prime Minister of independent India and the father of the current Indian sovereignty. The monument was opened in October 2018, on the public and political figure’s next birthday.
The present Indian leader believed that the statue will inspire the country and teach its principles. After all, Patel has been associated with Mahatma Gandhi’s henchman, Jawaharlal Nehru, since independence.
More than 20 million individuals joined up for the monument installation campaign, and monies were raised around the country.
2. 12 years of building a Buddha statue…
The Burmese Buddha statue was the world’s highest monument at the time of its construction. The deity’s 130-meter form rises over the two-level base – octagonal at first, then oval.
The massive structure is painted yellow. A void within the statue is used for museum exhibits.
A religious museum of Buddhist culture is located on several of the 27 storeys, which are connected by an elevator.
When the Myanmar Buddha and the American Statue of Liberty are placed side by side, the latter barely reaches the deity’s belt.
The memorial, known locally as Lechzhun-Sasazha, is now ranked second among the world’s highest monuments.
3. Monument to Cherry, revived 23 years
A massive statue of the god Vishnu, seated on the bird Garuda, stands in Indonesian Bali. The memorial stands at 121 meters tall, including the 46-meter pedestal.
The statue, which was unveiled in 2018, took 28 years and 30 million dollars to build.
Due to the financial crisis, which caused a 16-year construction halt, the project was delayed for a lengthy time.
The monument is made up of over 750 plates, each measuring 3 by 4 meters. With 170,000 bolts, copper and brass sheets are fastened to the frame.
The statue can withstand an earthquake of magnitude 8 and winds of up to 250 km/h. In Bali, Vishnu is a particularly respected figure.
In mythology, the eagle Garuda is his eternal companion, personifying secret wisdom. Indonesia’s national bird has a human body, wings, and a bird’s head.
4. Chinese 108-meter answer to the Indians!
The Buddha in Zhaotsun, China, has become a challenge to Hindus who have set out to construct a large-scale Buddha of the Future.
Without waiting for the opponent’s successes, the Chinese began on a counter-plan to build an ambitious pedestal.
The ‘Spring Buddha Temple’ monument was erected 15 years ago in Hanan’s Zhaocun settlement. The monument’s overall height, including the pedestals, is 208 meters. The cost of the Chinese Buddhist event came to 56 million dollars.
5. Kyiv Motherland
The beautiful monument ‘Motherland’ rises in the shape of a lady holding a sword and shield on the right bank of the Dnieper in Ukraine.
In 1981, the monument was completed. The experience of such a large-scale steel construction on Soviet Union territory was unprecedented.
The figure’s height is 62 meters without the pedestal, and 102 meters with it. A 100-meter crane had to be specially designed for the installation of this statue.