What is the tallest statue in the world? Here are some of the biggest
The word "monument" derives from the Latin "monumentum," meaning "memorial," and "monere," or "to remind," according to Merriam-Webster. Throughout history, structures have been erected to commemorate certain events, people and things of religious or cultural significance.
In the U.S., the country's first monument dates back to 1776, though the Devils Tower in Wyoming was designated as "America's first national monument" by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906.
Many of these structures are larger-than-life, standing hundreds of feet in height. But what is the largest statue on Earth? Here's a guide to some of the tallest statues on the planet, including one in the U.S.
What is the largest statue in the world?
Standing 182 meters – or nearly 600 feet tall – the biggest statue in the world is the Statue of Unity in Gujarat, India.
The statue was unveiled on Oct. 31, 2018 and replaced the Spring Temple Buddha in Pingdingshan, China, which stands approximately 420 feet as the tallest statue.
The Statue of Unity commemorates Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a leader of the Indian independence movement and a former prime minister of the country. According to Gujarat's tourism site, around 5,000 tons of iron were believed to be collected for the statue's construction.
What is the biggest statue in America?
The Statue of Liberty is the tallest statue in the U.S.
From the ground to the tip of her torch's flame, Lady Liberty stands 305 feet and 1 inch tall, according to the National Park Service. At the time of its arrival in 1886, the Statue of Liberty was the tallest structure in New York City.
The statue was a gift from France to the U.S. It was designed by Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc and Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel, and was sculpted by Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi, according to Britannica. The Statue of Liberty was unveiled on Oct. 28, 1886 by President Grover Cleveland.
Lady Liberty is composed of copper with her internal structure made of cast iron and stainless steel. The signature green coating we know today was not always there.
Copper oxidizes over time. When the Statue of Liberty arrived in the U.S., its color was brown, similar to a copper penny. It took 30 years for the metal to oxidize and form its current patina, or surface layer, according to the National Park Service.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tallest statue in the world: You may not be able to guess
