Since at least the ambiguous reign of Nimrod, the ambitious king of Shinar, and Semiramis, the deified queen of Babylon whose tower of Babel – as legends say - was intended to reach the heavens, man has been fascinated by tall structures.
When it comes to marking an event or thinking up a concept, builders tend to think ‘the bigger, the better’. When standing at the foot of a gigantic statue whose top is at a dizzying height, one has no choice but to crane one’s neck back and gaze up at the serene features of a giant who doesn’t deign to look back.
There are many of such giants and giantesses around the world, but for the sake of brevity, the top-ten list has been selected from a list of 20 compiled by whenonearth.net, and arranged in order of shortest to tallest:
Dai Kannon, Japan
With a height of 88 meters, the statue of Dai Kannon is a representation of Goddess of Mercy or Avalokitesvara, which is literally translated as “the lord who looks down,” and can be visited at Kita no Miyako Park in Hokkaido, Japan. You can climb to the top of the statue for some breathtaking views.
Great Buddha, Thailand
Standing 92 meters tall, this statue is a representation of Gautama Buddha. Construction of the Great Buddha, which is painted in gold, started in 1990 and took some 18 years to complete. The statue, built in Wat Muang Monastery in Thailand’s Ang Thong Province is the tallest in the country.
Peter the Great, Russia
Designed by Georgian designer Zurab Tsereteli and erected in 1997, Peter the Great is a 96-meter tall statue in the city of Moscow, Russia. It was erected on the 300th anniversary of the Russian Navy established by Peter the Great. However, many Muscovites did not relish the idea of having the statue in the city because the portrayed person was not considered a friend of Moscow, for he moved the capital to St Petersburg. In 2010, the statue was included on a list of the world’s ugliest statues by Foreign Policy Magazine.
Qianshou Qianyan Guanyin, China
This 99-meter bronze statue is located in Weishan in Hunan Province, People’s Republic of China. Also known as Guishan Guanyin of the Thousand Hands and Eyes, Qianshou Qianyan Guanyin is another depiction of Avalokitesvara. It is China’s fourth tallest statue.
Sendai Daikannon, Japan
Standing at a height of 100 meters is the Sendai Daikannon in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. It is a statue of the country’s Buddhist Bodhisattva Kannon. Visitors can climb up the Sendai Daikannon with the aid of an elevator.
Emperors Yan and Huang, China
Located in Zhengzhou in Henan Province, these sculptures depict two ancient Chinese emperors Yan Di and Huang Di. They stand at 106 meters high. The construction lasted 20 years and was completed in 2007 to commemorate politics and economy.
Guan Yin of the South Sea, China
A depiction of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, the Guan Yin is built on the south coast of Hainan Province, close to the Nanshan temple. The 108-meter tall statue has three aspects, one facing the inland and two facing the South China Sea. These aspects are said to portray Guanyin’s blessing on China and other parts of the world.
Ushiku Daibutsu, Japan
A depiction of Amitabha Buddha, Ushiku Daibutsu can be visited in Ushiku at the Japanese Prefecture of Ibaraki. With inclusion of the 10 meter lotus platform and exclusion of the pedestal of the same height, the statue is 110 meters tall. It commemorates the birth of Shinran, who started Jodo Shinshu, the most widely practiced branch of Buddhism in Japan. The statue has an elevator taking tourists to an observation floor at the top.
Laykyun Setkyar, Burma
This statue, which represents Gautama Buddha, is built in village of Khatakan Taung, close to Monywa in Burma. Construction of the 116-meter high Laykyun Setkyar commenced in 1996 and was completed in 2008. Its total height is about 130 meters, with the throne underneath included.
Spring Temple Buddha, China
The tallest of all statues in the world can be visited in the town of Zhaocun in Lushan County, Henan Province, China. It took about 11 years to complete the 128-meter high Spring Temple Buddha. It depicts Vairocana Buddha, the embodiment of the Buddhist concept of Emptiness. With the pedestal underneath included, the total height is 153 meters.
