Any country in the world is trying to show its peculiarity and stand out from a number of other states, to glorify itself, its gods and great figures who have played a significant historical role. There are different ways to attract the interest of a large number of people, one of which is the erection of statues, but so colossal that they can be seen from the far corners of the planet. The highest statues in the world are erected for centuries, as a sign of the country's steadfastness and power, as well as a historical value for future generations.
The Statue of Liberty and the Washington Monument are the pride of Americans
Many believe that the Statue of Liberty is the tallest statue in the world. Indeed, this majestic monument, which is an American symbol, causes awe and admiration.
However, its height of 93 meters at the moment does not cause the same surprise, because in the world there arehigher monuments. Which statue is the tallest in the world?
Against the background of the monuments on Earth, the huge monument to the first president of the United States of America, George Washington, stands out, which was considered the tallest building on the planet before the construction of the Eiffel Tower. Located between the Capitol and the White House, it is a giant marble-lined stele. Its base is surrounded by fifty flags around the perimeter, symbolizing the 50 states of the Union. The shape of the obelisk resembles a pencil, which is why it is called so among Americans.
History of the Washington Monument
The design of the monument lasted almost a hundred years, including a 25-year break due to the Civil War and the slow recovery of the country. The first call for construction came as early as 1738, when the Continental Congress decided that in honor of the victory of the Americans under the leadership of George Washington in the Revolutionary War, an equestrian statue should be erected in his honor. Due to limited resources in those days, the monument was never built. The realization of the old American dream of creating a monument that the world has not yet seen found its continuation in 1838, when a collection of donations for its construction was launched and a competition for the best idea was announced. Robert Mills won with a terrific project that turned out to be too much money, but nevertheless was taken as a basis.
The first stone of the future masterpiece was laid on July 4, 1848, Independence Day; whereina spatula was used, which was used when laying the Capitol half a century before the event described by Washington personally. Construction was completed in 1884, and the monument was officially opened in October 1888. At the same time, a steam elevator was installed on it, which gave way to an electric one in 1901. From the top of the monument on the observation deck you can see the Capitol building, the Lincoln Memorial, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, the White House.
Victory Memorial is the pride of Russia
Which is the tallest statue in the world after the Washington Monument? With a difference of 30 meters, this is the Victory Monument, erected in 1995 on May 9th Celebration Day. It is part of the Victory Memorial Complex located in Moscow on Poklonnaya Hill. The height of the monument - 141.8 meters was deliberately chosen: 10 centimeters for every day of the war.
The shape of the obelisk resembles a trihedral bayonet, covered with bronze bas-reliefs. On a granite podium at the foot of the monument, a statue of St. George the Victorious was erected, slaying a snake with a spear - a symbol of evil. At the mark of one hundred meters there is a 25-ton group of sculptures, which includes a bronze figure of Nike, the goddess of Victory, carrying a crown, and two cupids proclaiming a joyful event.
The world's tallest statues: Spring Temple Buddha
The statues of the world, which are huge, mostly depict the Buddha. For example, the height of the tallest statue in the world - the Buddha of the Spring Temple is 128 meters, of which 28 meters are given to the pedestal in the formlotus. Such a grandiose building is located on a 25-meter pedestal, to which a staircase consisting of 365 steps and 12 spans leads, symbolizing the number of days and months in a year. Erected in 2002, the tallest Buddha statue in the world rises in China's Henan province over the village of Zhaotsun.
This sculpture represents one of the five sacred Buddhas embodying Wisdom. It was made from separate parts (about 1100 pieces), further folded into one. 15 thousand tons of steel, 33 tons of copper and about 108 kilograms of gold were spent on its production, and the total amount of the entire project was about $55 million. The idea of erecting such a colossus arose after the two tallest statues of the world with the image of Buddha were blown up in Afghanistan by the Taliban. In 2010, the hill on which the giant statue is installed was transformed into two stone steps, which increased the height of the sculpture to 208 meters. This was the basis for entering it into the Guinness Book of Records.
Japanese Buddha
No less impressive in its size is the tallest Buddha statue in the world (after the Spring Temple Buddha) located in Japan in the city of Ushiku - a 120-meter statue of Amitahba Buddha, created in 1995. It took about 600 bronze plates interconnected to build it; the weight of the graceful colossus is estimated to be about 4,000 tons.
Being a true work of art anda living embodiment of modern engineering thought, the sculpture inside is equipped with museums and viewing platforms, which offer stunning views of the world around. Also inside the monument are special rooms; in them you can leave a sign with innermost desires. There are also small tombs, in which any Japanese can buy a place at a price of 3,000 to 10,000 euros. Each tomb is marked with a tablet with the names of the buried people. The place for the statue was deliberately chosen: it was in Usyku after long years of solitary life and meditation that Dharmakara received enlightenment and became the Buddha Amitabha. By the posture of the statue, one can determine that the Buddha passes on his knowledge and teachings to his followers, helping them to achieve enlightenment.
Buddha's headdress is not quite ordinary; on his head is a hat in the form of his reduced face.
Lezhong Sasaja - 116m Buddha
Religious sculptural work in Myanmar (Sikain district) - the statue of Lechzhun Sasazha. A 116-meter statue of Buddha, mounted on a pedestal 13.4 meters high, stands next to another Buddha built 17 years earlier.
Officially, the monument, which took 12 years to build, was opened in 2008 and was at that time the tallest sculpture. The predominant color of the architectural structure is yellow.
The world's tallest statues: Goddess Guanyin
The pride of Hainan Island (China) is the most beautiful statue of the Goddess Guanyin, erected in 2006. Its height is 108 meters. This majestica sculpture on an artificially created island, to which an originally designed road leads through a green park. The three-faced goddess, whose white color blends harmoniously with the blue sea and water, attracts many tourists from all over the world.
One face of the goddess is facing the island of Hainan, the other two are directed to the sea, which symbolizes the protection of the whole world. The goddess holds a rosary in her hands, the number of beads of which is 108. According to Feng Shui, this is a sacred number, considered auspicious by the Chinese. By the way, 108 monks were also present at the opening of the monument in 2008. On the other hand, the goddess holds a book and a lotus flower in her hands. The name Guanyin means "looking at the suffering of the world", and the goddess personifies mercy and wisdom. People come to her to pray for children; at the foot of the statue there is even a certain place where you can put incense sticks and ask the goddess for the most intimate.
This is the ranking of the tallest statues in the world, exceeding the 100-meter mark.
