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20 Most Famous Statues Around The World

These magnificent exhibitions have existed in the world since prehistory times. They were beautifully made by human hands several centuries ago. They used stones, hardstones, wood and metal to create these finest architectural masterpieces. Statues have been used to honour individuals, events and beliefs throughout history. Although not all statues are notably famous, their magnificent appearance, period of existence, overall size, height, and what it means to people who see it is what make the statues iconic and famous. Statues have continued to amuse tourists and archaeologists all over the world because of their extraordinary unique designs.

Statues not only display their architectural skills but also, they hold outstanding historical and cultural significance. Therefore, in today’s article, we are going to feature 20 of the most remarkable statues that exist around the world.  

1. Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty. , , via Wikimedia Commons

The Statue of Liberty was constructed in September 1875 by both France and America. Its outer layout is made out of pure copper, which hangs on steel, and it weighs about 204,117 kg. The statue is 151 feet tall and it鈥檚 considered one of the tallest statues in the world. The Statue of Liberty was a gift from the France people to the United States. Since then, it has continued to stand as a symbol of liberty and democracy. It also symbolizes the friendship between the Americans and the French.

2. The Statue of David

The statue of David at the Accademia Gallery. , , via Wikimedia Commons

This magnificent exhibition was created by the Italian artist Michelangelo from 1501 to 1504. He created it to represent David who was a character in the Bible. Michelangelo used a marble slab to create this masterpiece of David, who only stands at 17 feet tall and weighs 12,000 pounds. When you stare at the statue鈥檚 face for so long you will start to realize that its eyes seem like they are about to blink and the veins look like they are about to throb. Tourists are attracted by the statue and they come in massive numbers just to view the statue which is located in Accademia Gallery in Florence, Italy.

3. Christ the Redeemer

Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil. , , via Wikimedia Commons

What makes this statue famous is that it鈥檚 not only a landmark for Brazil, but also a landmark for the whole continent. The statue made of concrete and soapstone was built in 1922 and it took nine years to complete. Christ the Redeemer statue is 98 feet tall and weighs about 635 tons. It stands 2,300 feet high at Corcovado Mountain in the Tijuca Forest National Park. The statue is among the most visited tourist attraction across the world. It has continued to represent Christianity around the world with also it being a cultural icon of Brazil.

4. The Great Sphinx

The Great Sphinx statue. , Public domain, via Wikimedia Common

It was built 4500 to 5000 years ago by the ancient Egyptians of the old Kingdom. It is one of the oldest sculptures located on the Giza Plateau on the West bank of the Nile River in Giza, Egypt. This limestone sculpture is the largest stone statue in the world since it’s 240 ft long, 66ft high and weighs 20,000 tons. The Great Sphinx statue has a unique structure of a human head on the body of a lion, facing west to east and this has brought a lot of visitors who come to see the beautiful masterpiece. It has continued to remain an iconic symbol of ancient Egypt.

5. The Little Mermaid

The statue of the Little Mermaid in Denmark. , CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

The magnificent piece of artwork was presented by Edvard Erickson on August 23, 1913. Originally, it was a gift from Danish brewer Carl Jacobsen to the city of Copenhagen. Since then, the bronze statue sits on a rock by the waterfront at the Langelinie promenade in Copenhagen, Denmark for over a century now. The Little Mermaid figure stares off into the distance and her facial features are frozen in sadness. Despite it being restored several times, the Little Mermaid Statue has continued to be vandalized, since it has become a hot spot for tourist attraction.

6. Moai Statue

The Moai statues. , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The mysterious statue was built about 700 years ago to honour the notable people and chiefs from the tribe. Carved out of volcano-compressed ashes, they are located in a place called Moai which is in the Chilean country of Easter Island. An intriguing fact about these statues is that they have their bodies as well, but they are buried in the ground and are very small in proportion to the head. The residents of Rapa Nui Island look at them as a source of power and spiritual energy. It is discovered so far that there are 900 completed Moai and more than 300 incomplete ones.  

7. The Thinker

A picture of the Thinker statue. , , via Wikimedia Commons

The bronze masterpiece was created by French artist Auguste Rodin between 1880 and 1882. The statue was originally designed to be the crowning part of 鈥淭he Gates of Hell.鈥� It portrays a nude male figure seated on a rock with his chin resting on his hands, in deep thought. This famous iconic statue is located in the garden of the Rodin Museum in Paris and has continuously been used as a symbol of philosophy and intellectualism because of its deep thoughtful approach.

8. The Statue of Unity

A picture of the Statue of Unity. , , via Wikimedia Commons

The Statue was completed in 2013, and it broke the world鈥檚 record for the tallest statue in the whole world. Standing 182 meters tall and overlooking the Narmada River in Gujarat, the statue is the sculpture of the first Deputy Prime Minister of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who united 562 princely states in India after their independence in 1947.

It is a famous statue in India and has been a symbol of pride to them. The Indian government used more than 100 million dollars and employed 300 engineers who supervised the construction and ensured the incredible piece of artwork was appropriately done just in four years. They used concrete, cladding, bronze and plates to construct the statue.

9. Terrace of Lions

A picture of the Terrace of Lions in Greece. , , via Wikimedia Commons

The Terrace of Lions is one of the oldest statues in the world, located on the Island of Delos which is known as the home birthplace of the god Apollo and his sister Artemis. Therefore, the sculpture was created by the people of Naxos in tribute to Apollo. The magnificent piece of artwork is carved from white marble and consists of a series of 12 lions which have faced towards the east, looking upon the holy lake of Delos. As of now, there are only 5 statues remaining, along with the remnants of three others which have all been transferred to the Archaeological Museum of Delos in 1999, so as to avoid them being vandalized.

10. Terracotta Army

A portion of the Terracota Army statues in China. , , via Wikimedia Commons

The Terracotta Army consist of 8,000 life-size soldiers who are guarding the first Chinese emperor, Qin Shi Huang in his afterlife. The statues were dug up by farmers during construction work related to the digging of a well in 1974. It is believed that around 700,000 labourers worked day and night to create this clay army who have different physical features. Each of the statues carries a bronze weapon and some have horses alongside them. As of today, only 2000 Terracotta Army have been found out of 8000 statues of soldiers and horses.

11. The Motherland Calls

The Motherland Calls. , , via Wikimedia Commons

The Motherland Calls statue was constructed in May 1959 and ended up being finished in October 1967. After its completion, the statue became one of the tallest statues in Europe and the tallest statue of a woman in the world. It was built on the Mamayev Kurgan Hill, Southwest Russia and it stands 85 meters tall on the bank of the river Volga. This monument statue shows a woman walking with raised sword calling her sons to fight against the enemies during World War II. The sculpture simply represents power and determination. It also portrays the remarkable feat of artistry and engineering.

12. The Statue of Mount Nemrut

The statue of Mount Nemrut. , , via Wikimedia Commons

The Statue of Nemrut is located on one of the highest peaks of Mount Nemrut Dag just east of the highest peaks in the Turkish Taurus mountains. The ancient statues were made for King Antiochus who was a famous Armenian King from 62BC. It is believed that the mountain was the king’s final resting place although his tomb has never been found in the mountains. Advanced technology was used to create this collection of adorable statues which includes the king himself with 2 lions, 2 eagles and Greek and Persian gods; Zeus and Apollo. In order to avoid further destruction of the mountains, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

13. The Manneken Pis

The Manneken Pis. , , via Wikimedia Commons

It is the most overrated statue yet so famous. People from all over the world come to visit the bronze fountain statue in central Brussels, Belgium. It was created by the Brabantine sculptor Jerome Duquesnoy the Elder in 1619. The statue portrays a naked little boy peeing into the basin of a fountain. Due to cases of vandalism, the original bronze statue is safely housed in the Brussels City Museum and its duplicate stands urinating in the fountain near the Grand Place. There are many stories added to the making of this Manneken Pis statue making it so famous. The fountain has played a great role in distributing drinking water to the people of Brussels. 

14.Leshan Giant Buddha

A picture of the statue of the Giant Buddha. , , via Wikimedia Commons

The statue was built during the rule of the Tang Dynasty (713-803) by the artist Hai Tong. It is found in the city of Leshan which is located in the South of China. This statue is carved out of the red sandstone rock of Mount Emi. The reason behind the construction of this magnificent piece of artwork is quite interesting, it was built in a place where three rivers meet and therefore its presence could help calm the water spirit that was stormy. It took 1000 men to complete the statue in 90 years, and after its completion, the rivers calmed because of all the stones that fell into the rivers.

The attention to detail of the statue will answer your question about why it took so long to be finished. It has 1021 buns that are in Buddha’s coiled hair plus a proper drainage system that prevents corrosion. In 1996 it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

15. Spring Temple Buddha

A picture of the Spring Temple Buddha in Henan. , , via Wikimedia Commons

It is the second tallest statue standing at 500 feet tall, located in Henan province of China. It is made from about 3,300 tons of copper, 1500 tons of steel and 108 kg of gold thus making it shine from quite a distance. After 11 years of hard work and labour, the Spring Temple Buddha was completed and opened to the people in 2008. This magnificent art was commissioned because other status had been destroyed during the ongoing dispute in Afghanistan. The statue stands on a 20m tall lotus throne and therefore you will need to take about 1000 steps or take a bus in order to see the fantastic work of art.

Read this article about the top 13 facts about the monument valley here

16. Olmec Colossal Heads

A picture of the Olmec Collosal Head. , CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Olmec Colossal Heads is one of the famous mysterious statues located in Mexico. The statue has been traced back to 3000 years ago but the people who carved the 40-ton heads are not known. As of now, only 17 heads have been found in different sites including Lorenzo and La Venta. Each of the 17 heads seems to have a different headgear and a distinctive expression. Much can鈥檛 be said about these statues since there is very little information about this them, one that really stands out is that they are one of the most amazing artefacts from the ancient world

17. Christ of the Abyss

The statue of the Christ of theAbyss which is underwater. , , via Wikimedia Commons

Christ of the Abyss is one of the statues that is not well known simply because it鈥檚 submerged in the ocean. Guido Galletti was the creator of the Christ of the Abbys statue. He made three similar bronze sculptures and placed them in three different locations. He placed the first sculpture in the Mediterranean Sea near the Italian Riviera, the second he placed it near the coast of St. George’s and the third one in the Waters of Key Largo Florida. The statues all combined have attracted tourists, therefore, making it one of the most visited underwater sites in the world today.

18. Venus de Milo

The famous Venus de Milo at the Louvre. , , via Wikimedia Commons

The ancient statue was discovered on 8 April 1820 inside a burial chamber of the ancient city of Milos. The statue was later transferred and kept in Louvre Museum in Paris which is the largest museum in the world. During its arrival in Paris, the statue had a missing arm and the museum so it fit if they could reinstate the missing arm. The idea was later rejected since it will have interfered with the original work of art. It is believed that the Greeks created the statue to represent the Amphitrite, the goddess of the sea who is adored by the natives of Milos.

19. Pieta Statue

The Pieta statue. , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Pieta statue is one of Michelangelo’s works of art located in Italy. It’s one of the rare pieces of artwork that Michelangelo did and was so proud of the outcome. This masterpiece became the only piece of artwork that Michelangelo ever signed. The statue carved out of a stone represents the story of Mary holding Jesus after his crucifixion. Mary’s emotions of sadness can be seen on her face even though she seems calm. This work of art changed how later artists would portray Christian idols in future. Today the focus is more on patience and faith rather than grief and passion.

20. Augustus Prima Porta

Augustus Prima Porta. , , via Wikimedia Commons 

The Augustus Prima Porta is a famous image of Augustus Caesar, who was the first emperor of Rome. The statue which is kept at the new wing of the Vatican Museum, was discovered in 1863, at the Villa of Livia his third wife. It is believed that this was a copy of a missing bronze statue that probably existed much earlier than this one. Within a close look at the statue, one could see that it represents Augustus Prima Corta as a great military leader, conqueror and a very strong supporter of the Catholic religion.     

Check out this article on the top 20 facts about the pyramid of Giza here