Top Ten of the Most Famous Statues in the World

 

Statues have long been used as a medium to immortalize important figures in history. They have been used as representations of people, values and ideologies of every place and culture across the globe. They have also been associated with many particular places in the world and have served as the official icons.

Here is a list of the top ten most famous statues of the world:

Statue of Liberty (New York, United States of America)

This pretty Lady is located on Liberty Island in Manhattan. The statue of Liberty was a gift dedicated by France on October 28, 1886 and given to the United States of America to celebrate the 100^th year anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

 

Christ the Redeemer (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

This statue is considered to be the largest art deco and the 5^th largest statue of Jesus Christ in the world. Constructed between 1926 and 1931, this statue stands over 30 meters (98 ft tall). This length, however, does not include its 8 meter pedestal and its arm reach of 28 meters.

 

The Great Sphinx (Giza, Egypt)

Simply known as the Sphinx, the limestone statue is a depiction of a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head of a human. It is the largest monolith statue in the world and the oldest monumental sculpture.

 

Moai (Easter Island)

Carved by the Rapa Nui people from rocks, all Moai statues have overly large heads. The tallest Moai ever erected was called Paro and stand almost 10 meters (33 ft) tall.

 

 

David (Italy)

Sculpted by Renaissance master Michelangelo, this marble statue stands over 5.17 meters (17.0) ft high and represents the Biblical hero named David.

 

Olmec Colossal Heads (Mexico)

The Olmecs were an ancient Pre-Columbian civilization that lived in the tropical lowlands of South-Central Mexico. They are recognized by these enormous helmeted heads, which are thought to be portraits of rulers. There is a total of 17 heads that vary in size.

 

The Motherland Calls (Volgograd, Russia)

Simply known as the Motherland statue, this statue is a commemoration of the Battle of Stalingard. It is the largest statue in the world. It stands over 85 meters (279 ft.) tall. It is considered one of the most complex statues ever done due to its position. A total of 200 steps that lead from the bottom of the hill to the top symbolizes the 200 days of the Battle of Stalingard.

 

The Thinker (Paris, France)

This is a bronze statue created by August Rodin. The work is that of a nude life size male figure that sits on a rock with his chin resting on one hand in deep thought. This figure of Philosophy stands about 186 cm (73 inches) high).

 

The Little Mermaid (Copenhagen, Denmark)

The Little Mermaid makes it to this list and is located in Denmark. This mermaid that sits on a rock at the harbor stands only 1.25 meters (4.1 ft) high. This beautiful sea creature was based on Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale of the same name. This Copenhagen icon has long been a tourist attraction since 1913.

 

 

The Terrace of Lions (Delos Island, Greece)

Delos is one of the most important mythological, historical and archeological sites in Greece. It became a holy sanctuary for being the birthplace of Greek god Apollo and Greek goddess Artemis. The terrace was dedicated to Apollo by the people of Naxos, which originally had nine to twelve marble lions along the sacred way. Only five are still standing now.

Learn more about these statues on the clips below.