52 Spectacular Sculptures Across The Globe That Deserve A Spot On Your Travel Bucket List
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that some of life’s best memories are created outdoors, and thanks to modern and historic artists, being in the open air has become a positively thrilling experience. Across the globe, they’ve managed to turn ordinary streets and even bare cliff edges into museums with sculptures so spectacular they almost don’t feel real. Some of these pieces honor historical legends, while others are simply mind-bending works of art, but all of them were created to captivate anyone who walks past. We’ve put together this list of 52 sculptures from around the world that are so unbelievable, you’ll want to see them in person.
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The Kelpies, Grangemouth, Scotland, United Kingdom
Gallos, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom
Dragon Bridge, Da Nang, Vietnam
Puppy, Bilbao, Spain
The Fork - Alimentarium, Vevey, Switzerland
Golden Bridge, Da Nang, Vietnam
Lion Monument, Lucerne, Switzerland
The Awakening, Maryland, USA
Apennine Colossus, Tuscany, Italy
The Force Of Nature Westminster, Westminster, England
Christ The Redeemer, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Naturally, most pieces of art are undeniably captivating, but only a select few are record breakers, and the Statue of Unity in Gujarat’s Narmada Valley certainly makes the cut. Standing at around 597 feet, this massive monument honoring Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India’s first deputy prime minister, comes in at number one on the list of the world’s tallest sculptures.
Statue Of Lord Shiva, Murdeshwar, India
Amazon Statue, Cotonou, Benin
Serpent D’ocean, Saint-Brevin-Les-Pins, France
Digital Orca, Vancouver, Canada
Diminish And Ascend, Christchurch, New Zealand
This is causing an unreasonable amount of anxiety looking at it.
Adiyogi Shiva Bust, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Virgen Del Socavon, Oruro, Bolivia
Christ Of The Abyss, Key Largo, Florida, USA
Moai, Easter Island
Rock Sculpture Of Decebalus, Orsova, Romania
Wat Plai Laem, Koh Samui, Thailand
Leshan Giant Buddha, Leshan, China
While most sculptures are truly something to marvel at, some tend to draw more attention than others. It probably doesn’t come as a surprise that the Statue of Liberty, Christ the Redeemer, and the David sculpture by Michelangelo are some of the most popular in the world. These works of art are global icons that are loved not just for their powerful symbolism and historical significance but also for their impressive craftsmanship.
Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park, Bali, Indonesia
Lord Murugan Statue, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
El Oso Y El Madrono, Madrid, Spain
The Burghers Of Calais, London, England, United Kingdom
Jatayu, Kerala, India
Sacro Bosco, Bomarzo, Italy
Franz Kafka, Rotating Head, Prague, Czech Republic
Wonder how Kafka would feel about a rotating disco ball in his honour, considering he didn't even really want to publish his works.
The Architectural Fragment, Melbourne, Australia
Cristo Protetor De Encantado, State Of Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil
Spring Temple Buddha, Henan, China
Phuket Big Buddha, Phuket, Thailand
Although there’s no official world record for the “most sculptures in one city,” Rome would probably win the title, with Skopje in North Macedonia coming in as a close second. The Italian city is home to a generous mix of fountains, ancient ruins, and Renaissance works of art on almost every street corner, making the entire city feel like an outdoor gallery.
Guanyin Of Nanshan, Sanya, Hainan, China
Statue Of Liberty, New York, USA
Tian Tan Buddha, Ngong Ping, Hong Kong
Cristo De La Concordia, Cochabamba, Bolivia
La Mano Del Desierto, Atacama Desert, Chile
Spirit Of Haida Gwaii, The Jade Canoe, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Men By The Sea, Esbjerg, Denmark
Angel Of The North, Gateshead, England, United Kingdom
Maman, Bilbao, Spain
Mustangs, Las Colinas, Texas
Singing Ringing Tree, Burnley, United Kingdom
Mount Rushmore, South Dakota, USA
Emperors Yan And Huang Statue, Zhengzhou, China
The Big Ant, Poochera, Australia
I had to look up Poochera, not a town I have heard of. It's in South Australia, which I must admit I've only travelled through once.
Cloud Gate, Chicago, USA
I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I really like it. I wonder though, it always looks so shiny in pictures, do they regularly have cleaners to clean it from all angles to keep it shiny? Or is it a special material that stays shiny or that doesn't really get dirty? Or is it still very beautiful when it's not shiny?
