Many know that the Burj Khalifa is the tallest building on the planet (828 meters), but not many know what the largest statue in the world: with his 182 meters high (without considering the pedestal), holds the record Statue of Unitywhich is located near the city of Rajpipla, in the Gujarat region, in India. Consider that it boasts a height almost double that of the Milan Cathedral, and almost four times that of the Colosseum.
The statue was inaugurated on 31 October 2018 by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and replaced the 159-meter-tall Buddha statue at the Temple of Spring in Pingdingshan, China, as the world’s tallest statue. The Statue of Unity commemorates Sardar Vallabhbhai Patelone of the leaders of the Indian independence movement, as well as a minister of the country. It cost 30 billion rupees, that is 430 million eurosthe gigantic statue covered in bronze (also made of steel and concrete) was built by more than three thousand workers in a record time of 33 months, and is designed to withstand winds of up to 60 m/s and earthquakes.
Made from a project by Indian sculptor Ram V. Sutar, The Statue of Unity is a larger version of a statue of the same leader installed at Ahmedabad International Airport. The work has received criticisms by Indian public opinion due to its location, which has forced the downsizing and relocation of some wildlife spaces present around the Narmada River (on which it stands) and due to the large amount of public money used for its construction.
The ranking of the 5 tallest statues in the world
Here are the 5 tallest statues in the world, not considering any pedestals:
- Statue of Unity (India), 182 meters;
- Zhongyuan Buddha (China), 128 meters;
- Laykyun Setkyar (Burma), 116 meters;
- Ushiku Daibutsu (Japan), 110 meters;
- Statue of Emperors Yan and Huang (China), 106 meters.
And the largest in Italy?
And theItaly? Placing itself at the 68th place among the tallest statues in the world, the first Italian statue is that of the so-called Saint Carlone, that is, the Colossus of San Carlo Borromeo near Aronain the province of Novara (in Piedmont). High 35 meters and located in the locality of San Carlo, on the Sacro Monte, the statue dedicated to the Archbishop of Milan and saint – as well as cousin of the famous Archbishop of Betrothed by Alessandro Manzoni, Federico Borromeo – was built between 1624 and 1698 designed by Giovanni Battista Crespi.
