God has blessed all of his creatures, but he has favored and pampered man the most. Amazing statues on this planet are witnesses to the imaginative, artistic, wonderful, and miraculous power of the human mind, which is incredibly complex and unfathomable. On this planet, many things have been constructed, including some of the world’s tallest buildings or structures.
The striking statues can be found all over the world as a tribute to notable people and historical moments. Some of them are tall enough to stand out as the cities’ top landmarks. The construction of large statues is nothing new. Since the dawn of time, taller statues have been constructed, making a significant impact on the tourism sectors of their respective countries. Let’s know the top 5 tallest statues in the world as of 2023, which are outstanding examples of human ingenuity and each contains a mythological tale.
1. Statue of Unity
📏 Height: 182 meters or 597 feet.
📅 Opening Date: 31 October 2018.
🏴 Country: India.
The world’s tallest statue, the Statue of Unity, which honors Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, was opened in 2018. This statue is located in Narmada District in Gujarat, India. It has a towering height of 182 meters or 597 feet, and 240 meters or 790 feet including the base.
The Statue of Unity, which is made to honor Indian independence reformer and politician Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, is currently the tallest statue in the world. The statue was unveiled by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 31, 2018, the 143rd anniversary of Mr. Patel’s birth. It is situated on Narmada River island close to the Sardar Sarovar Dam in the Kevadiya neighborhood.
On October 7, 2013, the project was announced by Shri Narendra Modi while he was the Chief Minister of the Indian state of Gujarat. Under the direction of the Gujarat Chief Minister, a society called the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Rashtriya Ekta Trust was established to carry out the project.
The Statue of Unity Movement was started in 2013. As a unique tribute to Sardar Patel, farmers were asked to donate their used agricultural tools and soil samples for use in the project. On December 15, 2013, Surat and Vadodara hosted the Run For Unity marathon in support of the initiative. The total cost to build this statue was 422 million US dollars. And the number of visitors who come to see this beautiful and gigantic statue is about 2.8 million every year.
2. Spring Temple Buddha
📏 Height: 153 meters or 502 feet.
📅 Opening Date: 2008.
🏴 Country: China.
It is the second tallest statue in the entire world. Spring Temple Buddha is situated in Henan, China, and was completed in 2008. The tallest statue in the world until 2018, Spring Temple Buddha, is a magnificent statue of Vairocana Buddha. In the middle of a lotus-shaped seat, it is formed.
We all know who was Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama). He was the person who first introduced the ideology of Buddhism. Today, about 470 million people around the world follow Buddhism. So, undoubtedly, this wonderful and huge monument is a great gift to the followers of Buddhism.
The construction of this statue, which is situated within the Fodushan Scenic Area, started in 1997 and was finished in 2008. The slope that the monument is perched on has been modified to create two additional pedestals. The estimated total cost of the project was $55 million, with the statue costing roughly $18 million of that sum.
Only the height of the statue is 420 feet. Meanwhile, the height of this monument is 153 meters or 502 feet(including the pedestal on which it is placed), and 208 feet or 682 feet including the base, on which it is situated. Near the Spring Temple Buddha, there is a hot spring named Tianrui hot spring, and it is well known for its remedial properties. And, because of the Tianrui hot spring, this Buddha temple is named Spring Temple Buddha.
3. Laykyun Sekkya
📏 Height: 116 meters or 381 feet.
📅 Opening Date: 2008.
🏴 Country: Myanmar.
Laykyun Sekkya is another Buddha statue that holds 3rd rank in the list of the top 10 tallest statues in the world. The village of Khatakan Taung, close to Monywa, Myanmar, is home to this statue of the Buddha. The statue is 116 meters (381 feet) high and 129.2 meters high including its base. The construction of this gigantic statue started in 1996 and was completed on February 21, 2008.
In 2008, this Buddha statue was erected in Myanmar’s Sagaing Division. One of the tallest sculptures in the world is Laykyun Sekka. It is an incredibly beautiful golden-colored Gautama Buddha statue. This statue took 12 years to build. The monument officially opened to the public in February 2008. This monument has been painstakingly detailed in every way.
It held the record for the tallest statue in the world for a short time until the completion of the Spring Temple Buddha. Now, Laykyun Sekkya is the second tallest Buddha statue in the entire world.
4. Statue of Belief (Vishwas Swaroopam)
📏 Height: 106 meters or 348 feet.
📅 Opening Date: 2022.
🏴 Country: India.
The tallest Shiva statue in the entire world is the Statue of Belief. It is located in Rajasthan, India, and was founded in 2022. Following the dedication of the 597-foot-tall Statue of Unity by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India is slated to receive a second enormous statue, this one of Lord Shiva in Rajasthan. The 351-foot-tall Statue of Belief is located in Ganesh Tekri in Rajasthan’s Nathdwara.
This Shiva statue(Murti) is the fourth-highest statue in the world, behind the Statue of Unity, the Buddha from the Spring Temple, and Laykyun Setkyar. This statue of Shiva shows him sitting with his legs crossed and a Trishula in his left hand. The pedestal is 110 feet (34 meters) tall and the statue itself is 348 feet (106 meters) tall, and overall height is 112 meters. The statue is clearly visible from as far away as 20 kilometers (12 miles).
An exhibition hall and public viewing galleries are located inside the statue and are reachable by elevator at heights of 20 feet (6.1 meters), 110 feet (34 meters), and 270 feet (82 meters ). A 25 feet (7.6 m) tall by 37 feet long statue of Shiva’s bull, Nandi, is part of the installation. Additionally, there are three herbal gardens, a laser fountain, a food court, and a space for handicraft shops on the 16-acre grounds.
Indian businessman Madan Paliwal designed the statue, and Shapoorji Pallonji constructed it. The building is made up of an exterior made of molded ultra-high performance concrete and an interior core of reinforced cement concrete walls covered by a structural steel framework. Liquidized zinc was sprayed on the surface, and then copper was applied.
5. Ushiku Daibutsu
📏 Height: 100 meters or 330 feet.
📅 Opening Date: 1993.
🏴 Country: Japan.
In Japan’s Ibaraki Prefecture in 1993, this Buddha statue was made. It held the record for the highest statue in the world from 1993 to 2008. Built-in 1993, Ushiku Daibutsu is one of the tallest monuments in the world. On a lotus pedestal, this statue of Lord Buddha is displayed. As of 2018, it ranked among the top five tallest sculptures in the world. The statue of Amitabha Buddha is made of bronze. It was made to honor the birth of Shinran.