By: Sarah Stone
On road trips when I was a kid, we always passed signs advertising for “The world’s largest” or “The very first” – and ever since then, I’ve been kind of hooked on seeing them for myself. For today’s post, let’s take a look at five of the five biggest statues in the world, all of which are located in Asia.
1: Statue of Unity: 182 meters
Statue of Unity – Photo by Vivek Trivedi on Unsplash
Construction on this colossal statue in Gujarat, India started in 2013, and was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi five years later, in 2018. The statue depicts Vallabhbhai Patel, a statesman who was integral to unifying India. It stands 182 meters, or 597 feet.
2: Spring Temple Buddha: 128 meters
Located in China, the Spring Temple Buddha stands at 420 feet tall, or 502 feet including its pedestal. It’s the largest statue in the world, and took 11 years to build. The pedestal houses a monastery, and the statue itself is made up of copper, gold, and steel.
3: Laykyun Sekkya: 116 meters
Image by Anne97432 on Wikimedia Commons
Myanmar’s Laykyun Sekkya stands 116 meters, or 381 feet tall. A depiction of Gautama Buddha, this amazing statue’s construction started in 1996, and was completed in 2008. This statue stands atop a temple, and is surrounded by Bodhi Trees, which are sacred to Buddhism.
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4: Ushiku Daibutsu: 100 meters
Ushiku Daibutsu – via Pixabay
Fourth on the list of the biggest statues in the world, Ushiku Daibutsu towers at 360 feet (120 meters). Located in Ushiku, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan, this amazing statue actually held the record as the tallest in the world from 1993 to 2008. Made of bronze and depicting Amitabha Buddha, the Ushiku Daibutsu has an elevator inside, which will take you to an observation floor.
5: Sendai Daikannon: 100 meters
Sendai Daikannon – via Wikimedia Commons
This incredible statue is 100 meters, or 330 feet, high, and depicts the Bodhisattva Kannon – it is the tallest statue of a goddess in Japan. As with the Ushiku Daibutsu, you may enter this statue and take in the view of Sendai from an observation deck.
About the Author
As the editor-in-chief of Frayed Passport, my goal is to help you build a lifestyle that lets you travel the world whenever you want and however long you want, and not worry about where your next paycheck will come from. I've been to 20+ countries and five continents, lived for years as a full-time digital nomad, and have worked completely remotely since 2015. If you would like to share your story with our community, or partner with Frayed Passport, get in touch with me at sarah@frayedpassport.com!
Featured image by Gary Todd on Wikimedia Commons.