The Statue of Unity is the tallest statue in the world, towering so high that the outstretched arm of the Statue of Liberty nearly reaches its belly.
The Statue of Unity stands 182m tall in Gujarat, India. (Photo: Mahi.freefly/Shutterstock).
With an impressive height of 182m, the Statue of Unity overlooks the Narmada River near the town of Kevadia in Gujarat, India, as reported by IFL Science on May 24. This colossal statue depicts Vallabhbhai Patel, a freedom fighter and the first Deputy Prime Minister of India, born in Gujarat in 1875. He is often referred to by the nickname “The Iron Man of India” due to his leadership and determination.
The construction of the Statue of Unity cost $422 million, featuring a steel framework and reinforced concrete, coated in a layer of bronze. The statue is designed to withstand wind speeds of up to 50 meters per second and is classified as an earthquake-resistant structure. Upon completion, the Statue of Unity claimed the title of “the largest statue in the world” from the Spring Temple Buddha in China, as it is 54 meters taller.
The project to build the Statue of Unity was announced by Narendra Modi in October 2013 when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. The statue was completed in October 2018, marking the 143rd anniversary of Patel’s birth. At that time, Modi had become the Prime Minister of India.
“The statue will remind those who question India’s existence that this nation has been, is, and will be eternal. The height of the statue serves as a reminder to the youth that the future of the country will be just as grand. It is also a symbol of our technical and technological capabilities,” Prime Minister Modi said during the inauguration ceremony.
However, the Statue of Unity may not hold its crown for long. India has announced plans to construct a 212-meter statue on an artificial island in the Arabian Sea, off the coast of Mumbai. This statue, named Shiv Smarak, depicts Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the warrior king of India and the founder of the 17th-century Maratha Empire. The statue was initially expected to be completed in 2022, but construction has yet to finish, and a new inauguration date has not been determined.
