20 Most Famous Statues from Around the World
Last Updated on 4th December 2023 by admin
There are many countries or cities in the world which are world famous because of their statues. Such masterpieces have an identity of their own and become famous landmarks of that place. Some of them become famous all over the world because of their history or unique design. These sculptures showcase architectural skills from around the world from the modern, medieval and ancient world periods. Whether it be pieces of prehistoric rocks or massive monolithic pieces from medieval times.
There are several colossal statues that are skyscrapers and compete with each other in terms of height. For centuries, these statues have been made from marble to many types of metals. These statues of the world have been attracting tourists from all over the world. We have selected 20 most famous statues from among such extraordinary and remarkable statues from around the world, so let’s get started!
1) Statue of Liberty
Location: New York City, US
Constructed: 1876
The Statue of Liberty is one of the most famous landmarks of New York City. The Statue is located on ‘Liberty Island’ in Manhattan, New York City, United States and its construction began in September 1875. The total weight of the statue is about 204,117 kg (225 Ton), owing to the use of pure copper in the outer structure, which hangs on steel.
The statue was a gift from the French to commemorate America’s independence on July 4, 1776. The Statue of Liberty was built by both France and America together. While the statue’s foundation was built by the Americans, other parts were built by the French.
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The statue is most famous for its design, the statue is named after the Roman goddess Libertas, who was a Roman goddess. The statue is depicted as a standing goddess with a burning torch in one hand and a book in the other. The Statue of Liberty is not only America’s but the world’s most famous statue, seen as an enduring symbol of American independence.
The ‘Statue of Liberty’ is considered a symbol of friendship between America and France. It is also one of the tallest statues in the world. The statue is 151 feet tall, but together with the pillar and foundation stone, it is 305 feet tall.
2) Christ the Redeemer
Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Constructed: 1922 – 1931
Christ the Redeemer is an Art Deco statue of Jesus Christ by Polish-French sculptor Paul Landrowsky in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is located on top of Mount Corcovado in the Tijuca Forest National Park. The statue was designed by Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa with the help of French engineer Albert Cacot. The statue is 30 meters (98 ft) tall, and including its base of 26 feet it is 124 feet tall, and the sides are 28 meters wide.
The idea of building this colossal statue was first conceived in the 1850s by a Catholic priest, Pedro María Boss, who asked Princess Isabel for help in building a colossal religious monument, but the princess did not give permission at that time. In 1921, the idea was revived again by the Catholic Circle of Rio, and this time permission was granted to build it.
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Christ the Redeemer is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The statue is considered a symbol of Christianity around the world, as well as becoming a cultural icon of Brazil. The Christ the Redeemer statue is the largest Art Deco-style statue in the world and the most famous landmark of Rio de Janeiro.
The statue is made of reinforced concrete and soapstone and took about 9 years to build, being completed between 1922 and 1931, and it was opened to the general public on 12 October 1931. This wonder statue is one of the most visited tourist attractions across the world.
3) Moai Statues
Location: Easter Island, Chile
Constructed: 1250 – 1500
There are many such places in the world, which remain mysterious even today for one reason or the other. One such place is Moai, located between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean in South America, in the Chilean country of Easter Island. There is a deserted island here, where there are more than 900 mysterious idols, whose formation is estimated in many ways, but why they were actually made, it remains a mystery even today.
These sculptures are believed to have been made between 1250 and 1500 by a people called Rapa Nui, which corresponds to eastern Polynesia. The statues symbolized spiritual devotion to a prominent ancestor spirit, Rapa Nui.
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The statues have been more famous because of the mystery of its making which has not been solved yet. The satues are so strong that even hitting them with a hammer does not cause any significant damage except minor scratches.
There has always been a question about these idols that when there is no evidence of any human being living on this island, then how did these statues come here? Some people believe that hundreds of years ago aliens came to this island and they made these idols, however, these are all hearsay things, for which no one has any proof.
4) The Great Sphinx of Giza
Location: Al Giza Desert, Egypt
Constructed: 2558 – 2532 BC
The Great Sphinx of Giza is a historical monument located on the Giza Plateau on the west bank of the Nile River in Giza, Egypt. It is a limestone sculpture of the recumbent Sphinx, a figure with a human head on the body of a lion, facing west to east.
It is one of the largest stone statues in the world at 73 m (240 ft) long, 19 m (62 ft) wide and 20 m (66 ft) high, and is believed to have been built to protect Pharaoh Khafre. According to archaeological studies, the Great Sphinx statue was built around 4500 to 5000 years ago and was built by the ancient Egyptians of the Old Kingdom.
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It is one of the oldest ancient sculptures in the world. Many secrets are buried inside the Great Sphinx of Egypt’s famous Giza city. The Sphinx is a mythical animal with the body of a lion and the mouth of a woman. The Great Sphinx of Giza is an iconic symbol of ancient Egypt.
It is the oldest, important and probably the most famous archaeological monument in the world. The Great Sphinx is an architectural marvel of the world, which stands witness to the rich heritage and culture of Egypt.
5) The Statue of Unity
Location: Gujarat, India
Constructed: 2013 – 2018
The world’s tallest statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the symbol of unity, “Statue of Unity” is located on Sadhu Island in Kevadia, Narmada district of Gujarat, India. On October 31, 2018, the current Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi unveiled the ‘Statue of Unity’ on the 143rd birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
The design of this huge statue was prepared by the sculptor ‘Ram Vanji Sutar’. A 153-meter-long gallery has been built for the audience near the Statue of Unity, which can seat 200 spectators simultaneously. Sardar Patel Museum has also been prepared inside this statue, in which many things related to the memory of Sardar Patel have been kept.
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Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s statue (Statue of Unity) is the tallest statue in the world, standing at 182 meters tall. This huge statue is so big that it is visible even from a distance of 7 km, ‘Statue of Unity’ is twice the height of America’s ‘Statue of Liberty’.
After India’s independence in 1947, Sardar Patel played a major role in the national integration of the princely states of India and merged around 562 princely states into the country without a fight. Hence his statue was named “Statue of Unity”.
6) The Motherland Calls
Location: Volgograd, Russia
Constructed: 1959 – 1967
The Motherland Calls statue is an iconic monument of Russia and the tallest statue in the Europe, it is also a creative center of a large monument and museum complex. The giant statue is located on the Mamayev Kurgan Hill in the city of Volgograd, southwest Russia, on the west bank of the Volga River.
The statue symbolizes the motherland calling her sons to fight against the enemy during World War II. The construction of this gigantic statue began in May 1959 and was finally completed in October 1967. It is also contributed by a considerable amount to the political identity of the country.
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The Motherland Calls statue is most famous for its graceful design. The statue is an engineering marvel representing the figure of a woman marching forward with a sword, and is dedicated to the heroes of the “Battle of Stalingrad”. The Motherland Monument is considered one of the most important sculptures in the history of Russia.
At the time it was completed in 1967, it was the tallest statue in the world at 85 m (279 ft). It no longer holds the record, but remains the tallest statue in Europe and the tallest statue of a woman in the world.
7) The Little Mermaid
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Constructed: 1913
The Little Mermaid is a bronze statue by Edvard Erickson, unveiled on August 23, 1913. It is located on a rock at the water’s edge on the Langelinie Promenade in Copenhagen, Denmark. The sculpture was originally a gift from Danish brewer Carl Jacobsen to the city of Copenhagen.
This statue has been on the target of anti-social elements for a long time, has been vandalized many times. The first incident on this happened in 1964, in which its head was broken, which was not found even after a lot of research, then a new head was installed. Even after that some such incidents have been happening again and again.
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This mermaid statue is an iconic symbol of the city Copenhagen, like the Statue of Liberty in New York, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Big Ben in London and the Taj Mahal in Agra. The iconic landmark of the capital city Copenhagen, is also one of Denmark’s famous destinations, no visitor leaves without seeing this beautiful Little Mermaid statue.
This beautiful statue is based on the mermaid daughter of a fictional sea king who falls in love with a prince from a Hans Christian Andersen tale and wishes to assume human form.
8) David Statue
Location: Florence, Italy
Constructed: 1501 – 1504
The David is a masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture, created by the Italian artist Michelangelo between 1501 and 1504. The David’s statue is one of the most famous statues in the world, because this masterpiece has been carved out of a single piece of Carrara marble. The 5.17 m (17 ft) marble statue depicts David in the nude, a character from the Bible who killed the monster Goliath.
This statue was moved to the Accademia Gallery in Florence, Italy in 1873. Where this beautiful marble statue attracted many visitors and a duplicate was later placed on the original site in the Piazza della Signoria.
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The statue of David is a famous attraction in Italy with interesting history behind it. The block of marble that has become one of history’s famous masterpieces proves how one person’s trash can be another’s treasure. Before Michelangelo began work, two other artists deemed the stone unusable.
They thought that this stone would not be able to bear the beating of time. Both artists abandoned the idea of working on this stone. After this, this piece of marble remained in the Opera del Duomo for 25 years. Then one day Michelangelo decided to work on it and with that this stone got recorded in history.
9) Terracotta Army
Location: Xi’an, China
Constructed: 246 – 208 BC
Thousands of secrets are buried under our earth. Humans have always found history buried underground, one of them being the Terracotta Army (Warriors) of China. There is a collection of terracotta statues representing the army of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China.
These statues were buried as life vests with the emperor’s body in 210–209 BC. These idols were unearthed when local farmers were digging in 1974 during construction work related to the digging of a well. During this the farmers found some pieces of soil and a head made of terracotta, after which the Archaeological Department excavated here and a big mystery came to the fore.
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It is believed that there are more than 8 thousand statues of soldiers and horses in realistic size, but till date only 2000 have been found. The texture of the idols buried under the ground surprises everyone. The sculptures are made in great detail, the hair, clothes and gestures are very subtle and specific.
The surprising thing is that in these thousands of idols, no one’s face matches with each other. The sculptures have many types of warriors including foot soldiers, archers, generals, horsemen and chariot depicting a real army. In 1987, it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
10) Leshan Giant Buddha
Location: Leshan, China
Constructed: 713 – 803 AD
The Giant Buddha of Leshan is a 71 m (233 ft) tall colossal statue built during the rule of the Tang Dynasty (713–803). It is located in the city of Leshan in Sichuan province, located in the south of China. The idol is carved out of the red sandstone rock of Mount Emi, which is situated at the confluence of Dadu and Kingyi rivers.
The Leshan Giant Buddha statue has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. It is the tallest stone statue in the world and at the time it was built, it was the tallest statue of Lord Buddha in the world.
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The Leshan Giant Buddha held the title of tallest Buddha statue for several decades until the construction of the Spring Temple Buddha in 2008. The attraction of this statue of Buddha lies not only in its size but also in its architectural artistry. The coiled hair on the head of the Buddha is made with great skill.
The large pair of ears, each seven meters tall, are made of wood and decorated with clay. Another architectural highlight is the drainage system, a system that helps displace rainwater and keeps the interior dry, playing an important role to protecting the Buddha’s statue. At that time, it was not very easy to do such work in this huge stone statue.
11) Terrace of the Lions
Location: Delos, Greece
Constructed: 600 BCE
The Terrace of the Lions on the island of Delos is one of the most famous ancient sculptures in the world. It is a Greek island and archaeological site near Mykonos in the Cyclades archipelago of the Aegean Sea. The island of Delos is recognized as the birthplace of the god Apollo and his sister Artemis, and was an important religious centre in ancient Greece.
Nowadays, the entire island of Delos is designated as an archaeological site with no accommodations allowed there, so make sure you only take a day trip. The first intact lion was discovered in 1905, and all lion statues are kept in the exact condition in which they were found.
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Today it is one of the most important archaeological, mythological and historical sites in Greece. The Lion Terrace is a series of 12 stone lions with their mouths open as if roaring, all facing east. Some of the statues have deteriorated over the years due to climate change.
It is believed to have been built by the people of Naxos in honor of the god Apollo. Therefore, the remaining statues were transferred to the Archaeological Museum of Delos in 1999, so that no other statues would be damaged or destroyed.
12) The Statues of Mount Nemrut
Location: Southeastern Turkey
Constructed: 62 BC
The Mount Nemrut statues are located on one of the highest peaks of Mount Nemrut Dag in the Eastern Taurus Mountain range in southeast Turkey. Standing 2,134 meters above sea level, it is one of Turkey’s most impressive and equally mysterious sites. It is the sanctuary of the ancient deities of the Komajin kingdom.
Mount Nemrut is the sanctuary of the ancient gods of the Komajin kingdom, built by King Antiochus I in 62 BC, considered a royal tomb. The first archaeological excavations began in 1953, and detailed excavations were led by the American School of Oriental Studies.
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The site of Mount Nemrut is most famous for the giant head statues scattered across the top of the hill. This archaeological site is one of the most ambitious structures of the Hellenistic period. These huge statues on Mount Nemrut are some of the most spectacular to be found anywhere else in the world, and one of the best tourist attractions in Turkey.
UNESCO listed Mount Nemrut as a World Heritage Site in 1987. These giant head sculptures located on the top of an ancient temple or mountain were completely unknown until they were excavated in 1881 by the German engineer Karl Sester.
13) The Manneken Pis
Location: Brussels, Belgium
Constructed: 1388
Manneken Pis is a bronze fountain sculpture in central Brussels, Belgium. It is one of the famous landmarks in Belgium which shows the Puer Mingens. The statue is of a naked little boy urinating in the fountain’s basin. The Manneken Pis, which attracts thousands of tourists from around the world, is a copy of the original statue housed in the Brussels City Museum.
There have been repeated attempts to steal or damage the Manneken Pis throughout history, so in 1965 a copy of the Manneken Pis was installed here, and the original staute of “peeing little man,” is housed in the Brussels City Museum.
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The “Peeing Little Man” is one of the most visited landmarks of the city and people from different parts of the world come to see this funny creation. It is not a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but when people visit the city of Brussels, they cannot miss visiting the site of this amazing Statue of Brussels.
No one knows how or why this simple statue became so famous that people come from far and wide to take selfies with it. There are probably many stories added to the making of this statue, that’s why.
14) Olmec Colossal Heads
Location: San Lorenzo, Mexico
Constructed: 900 BC
The Olmec Colossal Heads statues located in Mexico are actually one of the most famous statues in the world. The sculptures are from the Olmec civilization of the Gulf Coast of Mexico and are among the most mysterious artifacts of the ancient world. The exact age of the Olmec mammoths is difficult to determine, but current estimates date the sculptures to around 900 BC.
Around the 1850s, a farmer in southern Veracruz, Mexico, was clearing forest to make way for farmland. While he was making his way, he came across a large stone structure which was partially buried.
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The Olmecs must have been extremely talented artists, as one of their most artistic examples can be traced to the enormous sculpted heads they produced. The statue is carved out of massive basalt borders and the head has a mysterious history. Archaeologists have so far discovered 17 heads at four sites and each head has a different expression
They are one of those civilizations that date back to the Stone Age, predating the birth of Christ and probably ahead of the well known Mayan and Aztecs. The Olmec civilization flourished in the southeastern Mexico between approximately 1500 and 400 BCE.
15) The Thinker
Location: Paris, France
Constructed: 1904
The Thinker (French Le Penseur) is a 1904 bronze statue by Auguste Rodin, an iconic sculpture of Paris, placed on concrete and limestone bases. The work depicts a heroic-sized nude masculine figure sitting on a rock, located in the garden of the Rodin Museum in Paris.
The statue was conceived by Rodin in 1880 as part of The Gates of Hell. Initially it was to commission a pair of bronze doors for a planned museum of decorative arts in Paris. Its original size of approximately 70 cm (27.5 inches) and was designed to be the crowning element of “The Gates of Hell,” another major art work by the French sculptor.
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The statue is most famous for its design which depicts a heroic-sized nude masculine figure sitting on a rock. Several marble and bronze versions were executed of Rodin, although not all were made during Rodin’s lifetime, some of them during Rodin’s lifetime and some later.
The version that became most famous is the 1904 bronze statue located in the garden of the Rodin Museum in Paris. It is one of his most unique sculptures, standing approximately 185 cm (6 ft) tall. The Thinker was initially named “The Poet”, and the statue is used as a symbol of philosophy because of its deep thoughtful approach.
16) Spring Temple Buddha
Location: Henan, China
Constructed: 2008
Spring Temple Buddha is statue of Lord Buddha located in Henan province of China. The work of this statue of Lord Buddha started in the year 2001. Let us tell you that in the year 2001, after the Taliban broke the Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan, the construction of this Buddha’s temple was announced, which was also condemned by the Chinese government of that time.
The construction of this huge statue of Lord Buddha was completed in 2008.The height of this statue of Lord Buddha is 153 meters, which is the second tallest statue in the world. While the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (Statue of Unity) is the tallest statue in the world.
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It is the tallest lord Buddha statue in the world and also listed in world’s top 3 tallest statues. There is also a Buddhist monastery under this giant statue. Tourists come from far and wide to see this statue and see the wonderful statue of Lord Buddha.
This statue of Lord Buddha, which is included in the world’s tallest statue, has also been recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records. One of the most spectacular statues, the Spring Temple Buddha, made of 100 kg of gold, 3,300 tons of copper alloy and 1,500 tons of steel.
17) Venus de Milo
Location: Paris, France
Constructed: 150 – 125 BC
The Venus de Milo is an ancient Greek sculpture created during the Hellenistic period, generally thought to represent Aphrodite. It is now kept in the Louvre Museum in Paris, which is the largest museum in the world.
It is generally believed that the statue was discovered on 8 April 1820 by a Greek farmer named Yorgos Kentrotas inside a burial chamber within the ruins of the ancient city of Milos. When the statue first arrived at the Louvre Museum in Paris, it was thought that its lost arms should be restored, but the idea was rejected for fear of altering the original work of art.
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The Venus de Milo is an important work of art and one of the most famous sculptures in the world. It has been mentioned several times in popular culture. The armless white marble statue of the Venus de Milo, nearly 6.8 feet tall, has been the pride of Paris’s Louvre Museum for nearly 200 years.
It is one of the most famous works of ancient Greek sculpture, and was found on the Aegean Island of Melos. It was carved from marble by Alexandros between 150 and 125 BC, and is one of the most famous symbols of antiquity.
18) Lincoln Memorial Statue
Location: Washington, D.C., US
Constructed: 1914 – 1922
It is a large seated statue of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, who served as President from 1861 to 1865. The statue is at the Lincoln Memorial, on the National Mall, Washington D.C. in the United States. It was designed by Daniel Chester French and sculpted by the Pixarelli Brothers.
It was constructed in the traditions of the Beaux Arts and American Renaissance styles, unveiled in 1922. The maximum width of the statue is almost equal to its height and the total weight of the entire statue is about 170 tonnes.
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The Lincoln statue is a magnificent piece of sculpture and architecture, but there are many exciting things to see in the statue. For example, if we look at his statue’s face and hand gestures, those reflective expressions represent Lincoln’s personality. The statue, originally to be built only 10 feet tall, was eventually raised to 19 feet, consisting of 28 blocks of white Georgia marble.
The main reason behind this is that it would look very small in the large space at the Lincoln Memorial. The statue depicts President Lincoln seated in a large chair, his eyes looking directly at the viewer.
19) Winged Victory of Samothrace
Location: Paris, France
Constructed: 190 BC
The Winged Victory of Samothrace (Nike of Samothrace) is one of the most famous statues in the Louvre Museum in Paris, France. Nike was the goddess of victory and the idol of victory itself, both in war and in athletic competition.
The statue was originally found on the island of Samothrace in the north of the Aegean Sea, excavated in 1863 by the French archaeologist Charles Chamoiseau. The total height of the monument is 5.57 m, and since 1884 it has been displayed at the top of the main staircase in the Louvre Museum of Paris
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This unique ancient sculpture meets modern architecture in one of the most representative places of the museum and was created around 190 BC. Unfortunately, the head and hands of the beautiful marble statue are missing, but it is still a beautiful statue.
This sculpture of a winged woman stands on a base in the shape of a ship. Nike of Samothrace is also one of the best works of Hellenistic art. The island was a temple Complex, known as the Sanctuary dedicated to the great gods (Megaloi Theos) in Greek.
20) Augustus of Prima Porta
Location: Vatican City
Constructed: 20 BC
Augustus of Prima Porta is a famous portrait statue of Augustus Caesar, the first emperor of Rome. The statue was discovered on April 20, 1863, during an archaeological excavation led by Giuseppe Gagliardi at the Villa of Livia. It was discovered in the villa of Livia, the third and last wife of Augustus.
The statue of Augustus is believed to be a copy of a lost bronze statue displayed in Rome that probably existed much earlier. The Augustus of Prima Porta is now displayed in the Braccio Nuovo of the Vatican Museums, from the date it was found in 1863.
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Augustus of Prima Porta is one of the most famous sculptures of the ancient world. Augustus is in beautiful military dress, wearing a decorated breastplate and a cloak wrapped around his hips. The raised right hand indicates that he is addressing his troops. At his right foot are a dolphin and a cupid, an attempt to make it appear that Augustus is a descendant of the goddess Venus.
According to sculpture experts, this marble statue must have been painted. Clothing, cuirass decorations, hair and eye parts, and some color on the lips would have been used to decorate the statue.
These 20 iconic statues from around the world serve as not just sculptures but as powerful symbols of history, culture, and human achievement. From the enduring torch of freedom held high by the Statue of Liberty in the USA to the ancient mysteries guarded by the Great Sphinx of Giza in Egypt, these statues inspire awe and reverence, each telling a unique story of creativity, dedication, and the enduring human spirit.
