Surprising Statues Around The World

by Caroline-Artemis Laspas

In every village, town and city around the world there are many small and almost hidden statues commemorating or celebrating an event or person.

There are many that are familiar to us all, from the Statue of Liberty in New York, The Little Mermaid in Denmark, Terrace Of Lions, Delos Island-Greece, The Thinker in Paris or the Statue of David in Italy. Theses statues bring thousands of tourists to visit them, but there is a world of statues out there waiting for you to discover them. Here are a few of the less well known ones that are well worth visiting.

STILL WATER London, United Kingdom

This bronze sculpture of a horse's head is located at Marble Arch in London-UK. The 10m piece was commissioned to replace an earlier smaller and similar work, ’Horse at Water’. It is a stunning and striking statue and also unexpected.

DIGNITY OF EARTH & SKY South Dakota, U.S.A.

Dignity of Earth and Sky soars 50ft high into the sky. It is of a native Indian woman overlooking the Missouri River. Made from stainless steel, the quilt includes 128 diamond shapes in the colours of the water and sky that surround her. Dignity honours the Native Nations of the Great Plains.

FORCE OF NATURE GLOBAL LOCATIONS

A series of sculptures show a woman turning the world around with a piece of cloth. The woman, presumably Mother Nature, is swept with a gust of wind, forcefully draping her attire and hair behind her. You really can feel the force of nature in these statues.

STANDING STILL - Howick, South Africa

All over the world there are statues of Nelson Mandela, but this illusion statue is amazing. Created using 50 steel columns, representing the 50 years since his arrest and political persecution, Mandela’s profile can only be seen if you stand at a certain angle to the columns.

BUILDING BRIDGES Venice, Italy

This momumental sculpture ‘Building Bridges’ was installed in a basin adjacent to the entrance of the Arsenale, in the Castello District of Venice. Building Bridges comprise of 6 pairs of hands, 15m high and 20m wide. They are individually titled ‘Help’, ‘Love’, ‘Friendship’, ‘Faith’, ‘Wisdom’ and ‘Hope’. The installation engages with the history of Venice as a meeting point of international history and culture.

THE FOURTH PLINTH AT TRAFALGAR SQUARE LONDON, United Kingdom

There are 4 plinths (podiums) around Trafalgar Square in London. However, the Fourth Plinth, which was built in 1841 was meant to hold a statue of William IV but due to lack of funds it remained empty.

Today, the Fourth Plinth hosts a series of commissioned artworks by world class artists. Currently on display is ‘The End’, a giant swirl of whipped cream, topped with a cherry, a fly and a drone that transmits a live feed of Trafalgar Square. The title suggests both excitement and unease, responding to Trafalgar Square as a place of celebration and protest that is shared with other forms of life. You can see the live feed via the dedicated website www.theend.today.

THE TRAVELLERS Marseilles, France

This series of eye-catching bronze sculptures called ‘Les Voyageurs’ in Marseilles are of realistic human workers with large parts of their bodies missing. They were created to commemorate Marseille's status as the European Capital of Culture in 2013 and were displayed along the waterfront.

KING LEONIDAS STATUE Sparta, Greece

King Leonidas ruled the city state of Sparta who famously led a small band of Greek allies at the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC. When the Persians told the Spartans to lay down their weapons, Leonidas replied 'Molon labe' (‘Come and get them’). The Spartan king defended the route through which the Persian King Xerxes wished to invade Greece with his massive army.

CHARLES I STATUE London, United Kingdom

While all these statues have been modern, we end with London’s Oldest Bronze statue. It is one you will have seen if ever you were in Trafalgar Square. It sits at the front of the square facing down Whitehall.

Made in 1633 during Charles I's reign, London’s oldest bronze statue was commissioned for the garden of Lord Treasurer Weston’s house. In 1649 Parliament ordered that it be destroyed but it was hidden and reappeared at the restoration of the monarchy. It was erected in 1675.