India's 'Statue of Unity' becomes the tallest statue in the world; here is how it fares against other structures

The Statue of Unity, formed in the memory of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and inaugurated on his birth anniversary 31 October, has become the tallest statue in the world. At 182 metres, the statue is almost double the height of the Statue of Liberty in the United States. The height was picked as ‘182’ metres to match the total number of Assembly constituencies in the state of Gujarat, India Today reported. [caption id=“attachment_5477821” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Narendra Modi dedicated the ‘Statue of Unity’ to the nation. Twitter/@PMOIndia[/caption] Here are some other tall structures around the world and their significance: Spring Temple of Buddha, China Built between 1997 and 2008, the massive copper Spring Temple Buddha derives its name from the nearby Tianrui hot spring whose water is known for its curative properties. The temple, known as the Foquan Temple has the Bell of Good Luck — weighing 116 tonnes — and is placed on the top of the Dragon Head peak. It houses a monastery and stands atop a 66-feet-tall lotus-shaped pedestal, giving it a total height of 153 metres. The statue was built after the Taliban destroyed the Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan. Laykyun Setkar, Myanmar The Laykyun Sekkya Buddha is  116 metres (381 ft) tall. The Gautama Buddha statue stands on a 13.5-metre (44 ft) throne located in the village of Khatakan Taung, near Monywa, Myanmar. Construction began in 1996 and it was completed on 21 February 2008. It was commissioned by Chief Abbot Ven. Narada. Ushiku Daibutsu, Japan Ushiku Daibutsu means ‘Great Buddha in Ushiku’ in Japanese. The statue was completed in 1993 and is completely made of bronze. It was built to commemorate the birth of Shinran, founder of the Jodo Shinshu. It stands 120 metres tall including a 10-metre base and 10-metre lotus platform. The top of the statue can be reached by using an elevator. The statue depicts Amitabha Buddha and is made of bronze. It is also known as Ushiku ARCADIA (Amida’s Radiance and Compassion Actually Developing and Illuminating Area). Inside the statue itself is a four-story building, which serves as a museum. Statue of Liberty, USA The 93-metre tall Statue of Liberty was designed by French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi and built by Gustave Eiffel. The copper statue was a gift from the people of France to the people of the United States and was dedicated on 28 October 1886. The Great Buddha, Thailand Also known as; The Big Buddha, The Big Buddha of Thailand, Phra Buddha Maha Nawamin, and Mahaminh Sakayamunee Visejchaicharn; it is located in the Wat Muang Monastery in Ang Thong Province. The statue stands 92 m (300 ft) high and is 63 m (210 ft) wide. Construction of the structure commenced in 1990 and was completed in 2008. It is painted gold but made of concrete. The Motherland Calls, Russia Also called Homeland-Mother, is a statue in Mamayev Kurgan in Volgograd, Russia, 50 miles from the Volga River. It commemorates the Battle of Stalingrad. The statue was completely built in 1967 and has a total height of 85 metres. The statue measures 52 metres high and the sword in the hand of the statue measures about 33 metres. It is the compositional centre of the monument-ensemble “Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad” on Mamayev Kurgan in Volgograd, Russia. The monument is the central part of the triptych, consisting of the monuments “Rear-Front” in Magnitogorsk and “Warrior-Liberator” in Berlin’s Treptower Park.