12 statues and icons that give hope

INTERNATIONAL

Beacons of hope – 12 statues and icons

On every continent you find the tallest, most impressive, inspiring works of art, statues and gigantic mountains carved into the image or sculpture of well-known icons. Which ones have you visited?

Statues and icons in: Africa

Egypt

The Great Sphinx in Giza

source: Memphis Tours Attractions

The first king who had a sphinx statue was King Djetef Ra, the successor of King Cheops. It is considered as the first royal representation in the form of a sphinx.

The world famous statue was discovered nearby his pyramid at Abu-Rawash in El Giza. Today it is kept in the Louvre Museum in Paris, France.

The meaning of “Sphinx”

The word “Sphinx” is a Greek word, a derivative of the original Egyptian name “Ssp Ankh” which means the living image. According to this name we can suggest that it mainly represents the king, in his living image in a combination of the mental power and the physical power.

The mental power is represented in the human head while the physical power is represented in the lion’s body. If the sphinx is God, so it is said that the ancient Egyptians managed to tame the violent character of the lion with the human intelligence turning it into a divine calm power.

South Africa

Nelson Mandela

Source: The Capture Site in Howick, KwaZulu-Natal.

Take a virtual tour of the work of art here. The sculpture, acknowledges the 50th anniversary of the capture of Nelson Mandela, consists of 50 laser cut steel columns between 6 and 9.5 meters high along a thirty-meter length.

The sculpture can be seen from the road as a forest of steel poles. It was created by Marco Cianfanelli and Jeremy Rose (Mashabane Rose Architects).

To see the sculpture, visitors walk from the Visitor Centre along a path representing ‘the Long Walk to Freedom’ towards the sculpture culminating at the viewing point halfway down a cut into the earth where the steel columns gradually come together and focus at a particular point 30m meters from the sculpture.

“The 50 linear vertical steel columns line up at this point creating the illusion of a flat two dimensional image magically recreating Madiba’s portrait, metaphorically announcing his return to the site of his disappearance from world view.”

​Walking close towards and through the sculpture, the portrait image dissolves back into the forest of 50 columns. When visitors look across the road they will see the original memorial.

​The sculpture eloquently becomes part of the surrounding landscape and visually shifts throughout the day – affected by the changing light and atmosphere behind and around it.

This is the largest artwork of its kind in South Africa and has instantly become an international symbol of the iconic status of Mandela.

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Statues and icons in: Asia

India

Statue of Unity

Source: Statue of Unity (Wikipedia)

The Statue of Unity is a colossal statue of Indian statesman and independence activist Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (1875–1950), who was the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home minister of independent India and adherent of Mahatma Gandhi during the non-violent Indian Independence movement.

“Patel was highly respected for his leadership in uniting 562 princely states of India with a major part of the former British Raj to form the single Union of India.”

Tallest statue in the world

It is the world’s tallest statue with a height of 182 metres (597 ft). It is located on the Narmada River in the Kevadiya colony, facing the Sardar Sarovar Dam 100 kilometres (62 mi) southeast of the city of Vadodara and 150 kilometres (93 mi) from Surat.

It was designed by Indian sculptor Ram V. Sutar. The inauguration took place on 31 October 2018, the 143rd anniversary of Sardar Patel’s birth, by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Statue of Unity received more vistors than the Statue of Liberty in New York City. Read more here.

Thailand

Wat Muang – the Great Buddha, Ang Thong Province

Source: Thailand Tourism

Wat Muang is located at Village No. 6, Hua Saphan Sub-District, Wiset Chai Chan District, Ang Thong Province. It is about 8 kilometers away from the downtown of Ang Thong Province to the west.

You can drive from Bangkok along Asia Road to the city of Ang Thong, pass the market and turn right to pass by the front of the prison.

Arriving at the crossway, turn left to the road to Suphan Buri along the Pho Phraya-Tha Ruea route. Continue driving and Wat Muang will be on your left.

You will see “the large Buddha image” which depicts the beautiful panoramic view of the golden Buddha image amidst the vast green field.

When you enter the temple’s premises in your car, you will not only see the large Buddha image but also other gorgeous grand architecture i.e., “the Ordination Hall Surrounded by Giant Pink Lotus Petals”, which is considered the largest ordination hall surrounded by lotus petals in the world.

Statues and icons in: Australia

New South Wales

Statue of Mary Poppins in Bowral

Sources and photo credits: Monuments of Australia and Facebookpage Mary Poppins Birthplace

The statue commemorates the creation of the magical nanny as a fictional character by the author during the time she lived nearby in Bowral from 1908-1917.

In February 1924, P. L.Travers (born Helen Lyndon Goff) fulfilled a long-held dream and sailed for England and Ireland and began her career as the writer, P.L. Travers. In 1933 she began writing her series of children’s novels about the mystical and magical English nanny Mary Poppins.

Her popular books have been adapted many times, including the 1964 film starring Julie Andrews and the Broadway musical originally produced in London’s West End. She only ever returned once to visit Australia, for two weeks in 1963.

“Supercalifragilisticexpeallidocious”

can you say it?

The Mary Poppins Birthplace Statue was turned to face the east, ready to fly out on the west wind for winter, marking the Autumn Equinox.

Statues and icons in: Europe

Italy

The David by Michelangelo

Source: Accademia.org guide to the Accademia Gallery

This astonishing Renaissance sculpture was created between 1501 and 1504. It is a 14.0 ft / 4.27 m marble statue depicting the Biblical hero David, represented as a standing male nude.

Originally commissioned by the Opera del Duomo for the Cathedral of Florence, it was meant to be one of a series of large statues to be positioned in the niches of the cathedral’s tribunes, way up at about 80 m from the ground.

Michelangelo was asked by the consuls of the Board to complete an unfinished project begun in 1464 by Agostino di Duccio and later carried on by Antonio Rossellino in 1475.

Both sculptors had in the end rejected an enormous block of marble due to the presence of too many “taroli”, or imperfections, which may have threatened the stability of such a huge statue. This block of marble of exceptional dimensions remained therefore neglected for 25 years; lying within the courtyard of the Opera del Duomo (Vestry Board).

David

Michelangelo catches him at the apex of his concentration. He stands relaxed, but alert, resting on a classical pose known as contrapposto.

The figure stands with one leg holding its full weight and the other leg forward, causing the figure’s hips and shoulders to rest at opposing angles, giving a slight s-curve to the entire torso.

The slingshot he carries over his shoulder is almost invisible, emphasizing that David’s victory was one of cleverness, not sheer force.

“He transmits exceptional self-confidence and concentration, both values of the “thinking man”, considered perfection during the Renaissance.”

Watch a great video about the story of the David here (possible to choose subtitles settings)

Romania

King Decabalus in Orsova

Source: Decebalus Rex website

On the banks of the Danube river, close to Orsova town, the face of Decebal, the last king of Dacia is carved in a giant rock. This carving is 40 m high and 25 m wide.

Biggest in Europe: Decebal

The Dacian heroic king statue whose sculpture follows the pattern of the Rushmore Mountain carving, is the biggest in Europe: only six metres shorter than the Statue of Liberty, eight metres taller than the monument of Christ the Redeemer from Rio de Janeiro and almost 10 m above the legendary Colos from Rhodos!

Across Decebal’s head sculpture, on the Serbian banks of the Danube river, has dominated for two thousand years the famous Tabula Traiana, a monument built by his enemy, the Emperor Traian, to mark the march of the Roman Empire troops on their way to Dacia.

Here, near the cataracts of the Small Kazan (gorge) is the Danube`s deepest point reaching 120 metres.

The Romanians managed to finish their work in ten years with only twelve men.

“Today, 2000 years later, the great Dacian king continues to keep watch on the borders of those lands he defended to the death. Few kilometers from Orsova, on the banks of the River Danube, a majestic, monumental Decebal looks into the distance through time.”

Scotland

The Kelpies, two 30-metre-high horse head sculptures which are a true feat of engineering

Source: Visit Scotland (The Kelpies, Falkirk)

The Kelpies are the largest equine sculptures in the world. Located between Falkirk and Grangemouth, it was created as a space for the communities in the Falkirk area to come together.

“Bringing people together”

100 feet tall

The Kelpies go a step further in bringing together not only people from different parts of Scotland and the UK, but from all over the world.

Standing at 100 feet tall and weighing more than 300 tonnes each, the magical Kelpies are a man-made wonder and a feat of engineering. The works of art, created by artist Andy Scott, have become iconic on the landscape after being modelled on real-life icons of times gone by — Clydesdale horses Duke and Baron.

The Kelpies represent the lineage of the heavy horse of Scottish industry and economy, pulling the wagons, ploughs, barges and coalships that shaped the geographical layout of Falkirk.

Strength and endurance of 100 horses

The Kelpies’ name reflects the mythological transforming beasts that possess the strength and endurance of 100 horses; a quality that’s analogous with the transformational change of the area’s landscapes, endurance of its inland waterways and the strength of its communities.

You can visit The Kelpies free of charge any time of the day, 365 days of the year due to their prime location in The Helix community park.

The area around the massive sculptures has been designed to give access for all, meaning everyone can come and see them up close. You can even go inside a Kelpie on a tour for an exclusive look at their engineering and ingenuity.

• ACCESSIBILITY
• Level access to dining room, cafe or restaurant
• Level access from entrance to reception
• Ramp to main entrance
• Wheelchair access throughout
• Accessible Parking Or Drop-off Point
• Accessible toilets
• Level Access
• Pets are welcome

More info about the Kelpies: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kelpies

Statues and icons in: the Americas

Brazil

Sugar Loaf Mountain

Source: World top top and Bondino.com.br

The Sugar Loaf Mountain is one of the most important natural, historical and touristic landmarks of Rio de Janeiro. With its unusual warhead shape, the Sugarloaf Mountain (in Portuguese, Pão de Açúcar) is a monolithic mountain of granite and quartz that rises at the mouth of Guanabara Bay.

“Its name is said to refer to its resemblance to the traditional shape of concentrated refined loaf sugar.”

The glass-paneled “Sugarloaf Cable Car” (in Portuguese “Bondinho do Pão de Açúcar”) capable of holding 65 passengers, offers a 360-degree view of the surrounding city.

It goes from the base at Praia Vermelha to a height of 220m (720ft) above sea level and stops at the summit of Morro da Urca.

On this plateau lies an amphitheatre, restaurants, and shops. The second leg completes the journey to the 396 m (1,299 ft) high Sugar Loaf over a distance of 750 m (2460ft).

Similar facilities exist at the final stop, which offers one of the most magnificent panoramic views of the ocean, beaches and mountains of the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Niterói. The original cable car line was built in 1912 and rebuilt around 1972/1973 and in 2008.

ACCESSIBILITY

Visit Pão de Açúcar® cable car without worries. This place is equipped with adapted toilets, ramps and elevators, making tourism accessible to people in wheelchairs and with reduced mobility.

South Dakota, USA

Dignity

Source: https://www.travelsouthdakota.com/trip-ideas/story/dignity-earth-sky in Chamberlain, South Dakota)

The Dignity sculpture is a stunning combination of art and history. Located on a bluff between exits 263 and 265 on Interstate 90 near Chamberlain, the stainless steel, 50-foot-tall statue was specifically designed by sculptor Dale Lamphere to honor the cultures of the Lakota and Dakota people.

That’s why he used three Native American models ages 14, 29 and 55 to perfect the face of Dignity.

“Dignity represents the courage, perseverance and wisdom of the Lakota and Dakota culture in South Dakota,” Lamphere said. “My hope is that the sculpture might serve as a symbol of respect and promise for the future.”

Native American culture of South Dakota

Representing the rich Native American culture of South Dakota, the 50-foot Native woman gracefully wears a dress patterned after a two-hide Native dress of the 1850s.

She holds outstretched a quilt featuring 128 stainless steel blue diamond shapes designed to flutter in the wind.

During the day, her star quilt – a representation of respect, honor and admiration in Native American culture – glitters in the sun with color-changing pieces that move with the wind.

At night, LED lights cause the diamond shapes to glow in the night sky, casting a peaceful presence easily visible from the Interstate.

Crazy Horse Memorial

source: Crazy Horse Memorial website

Crazy Horse Memorial® is located in the heart of the beautiful Black Hills. The elevation on the Mountain is 6,532 feet above sea level and ranks 27th highest mountain in South Dakota.

It is made of pegmatite granite and was chosen by Sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski & Lakota Chief Henry Standing Bear for the Crazy Horse Memorial®.

The Mission of Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation is to protect and preserve the culture, tradition and living heritage of the North American Indians. The Foundation demonstrates its commitment to this endeavor by following these objectives:

• Continuing the progress on the world’s largest sculptural undertaking by carving a Memorial of Lakota leader Crazy Horse
• Providing educational and cultural programming to encourage harmony and reconciliation among all people and nations
• Acting as a repository for Native American artifacts, arts and crafts through THE INDIAN MUSEUM OF NORTH AMERICA® and THE NATIVE AMERICAN EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL CENTER®
• Establishing and operating THE INDIAN UNIVERSITY OF NORTH AMERICA®, and when practical, a medical training center for American Indians.

When Korczak accepted the invitation to carve a Mountain Memorial to Native American culture, he determined that it would be an educational and humanitarian project. He wanted Crazy Horse to be much more than “just” a colossal Mountain Carving.

The Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation is built on Korczak, Ruth and Chief Henry Standing Bear’s ideals of creating a memorial to honor the living heritage of the North American Indians.

As a part of this foundation THE INDIAN MUSEUM OF NORTH AMERICA® and THE NATIVE AMERICAN EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL CENTER® were created. The Museums feature American Indian art and artifacts from tribal Nations across North America and offer the opportunity for guests to be hands on with “make and take” activities.

In the summer, guests can enjoy visiting with Native American Artisans, watching American Indian dancers perform, and learning more through the Talking Circle Speaker Series.

Crazy Horse Memorial® offers several museums for visitors. Be sure to visit them all!

Visitors with disabilities

The facility is handicap accessible. Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodations or who have questions about physical access may call 605-673-4681 for more information.
Service dogs and guide dogs are permitted in all areas.

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