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Garuda Wisnu Kencana to become world's second tallest statue
The Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue in Bali will become the second tallest statue in the world after it is completed in August.
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Workers install the Mahkota Dewa Wisnu (crown of Vishnu, the Hindu god of creation) as part of the Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue in Ungasan, Badung, Bali, on Sunday. (Antara Foto/Fikri Yusuf)
Scheduled for completion in August, Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) will become the second tallest statue in the world.
Created by Indonesian sculptor Nyoman Nuarta, it would be shorter than the Spring Temple Buddha in China but taller than the Laykyun Sekkya Buddha in Myanmar, according to kompas.com.
Below are the seven tallest statues in the world as compiled by kompas.com:
1. Spring Temple Buddha
Built between 1997 and 2008, this statue is 153 meters tall. Located in Lushan County, Henan, China, it weighs up to 1,000 tons and is made up of 1,100 pieces of copper.
2. Garuda Wisnu Kencana
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This magnificent statue was initiated by Nyoman Nuarta alongside former tourism, postal and telecommunication minister Joop Ave. The development kicked off in 1997 and is currently at 70 percent completion.
Set to be 121 m tall, the GWK is made from imported materials from countries like Japan, Europe and Latin America.
Read also: US man stole thumb of Chinese terracotta warrior statue
3. The Laykyun Sekkya Buddha
With a height of 116 m, this statue in Myanmar is unique as it actually consists of two statues: one standing and the other one lying down, which makes it a popular attraction among local as well as foreign tourists.
4. Ushiku Daibutsu
デカ！ #ushikudaibutsu #ushiku #japan #japantrip #travel #bhudda #mycity
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Located in Japan's Ushiku, Ibaraki Prefecture, this 120-m tall bronze statue depicts the Amitabha Buddha. Completed in 1993, it has an elevator that takes visitors to an observation deck at a height of 85 m.
5. Statue of Liberty
This 93-m tall statue in New York, the United States, is probably the most popular among tourists. Created as a symbol of freedom and democracy, it was completed in 1886 and declared a national monument in 1924.
6. The Motherland Calls
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Standing at 85 m, this statue features a woman stepping forward with a raised sword. Said to be the tallest in Russia and Europe, it was built to commemorate the sacrifices made by Soviet troops during the Battle of Stalingrad during World War II.
7. Christ the Redeemer
Rio, one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever been to!
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A tourism icon in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, this 30-m tall statue with arms stretching 28 m wide serves a symbol of Christianity across the globe. Listed as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, it is made of reinforced concrete covered with a soapstone mosaic of thousands of triangle tiles. (kes)
