Here are the Most Famous Buddha Statues in the World
1. The Great Buddhas of Monywa, Myanmar
This great Buddha statues is in Monywa City in Myanmar in the Po Khaung Taung range of hills. Here the visitors will get to explore two giant Buddhas one is standing and one is lying down. The standing Buddha statue is the third tallest in the world, for which this place is known and popular. In 1991, the monywa Buddha was constructed. Recently a giant standing Buddha statue was also built on the top of Po Kuang Hills which has a height of 433 feet and is reputed as the largest Buddha statue in the world. The Monywa statue is hollow inside, allowing visitors to walk from head to foot. It even has a collection of 9,000 etchings illustrating Buddha’s life which can be seen in the statue’s backside.
2. Leshan Giant Buddha
Leshan Giant Buddha is a stone statue that was built between 713 and 803. It was carved out of a cliff in Sichuan in western China. Leshan Buddhas stone sculpture faces Mount Emei, which has rivers flowing below its feet. This Buddha is a figure of Maitreya representing Buddha in a sitting posture. It has a height of 233 feet and has 11-foot-long fingers on each resting hand. Leshan Giant Buddha is the largest and tallest stone Buddha statue in the world. It has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. The visitors can explore the statue by taking a boat trip or climbing the trail on the hill opposite the statue.
3. Tian Tan Buddha Statue
The Tian Tan Buddha Statue is a large bronze Buddha statue completed in 1993. It is located in Ngong Ping, Lantau Island, in Hong Kong. Locally this Buddha statue is referred to as the Big Buddha. The statue is 112 feet tall and weighs over 250 metric tons. Tian Tan Buddha statue’s right hand is raised, representing the removal of affliction and the left rests on a lap in a gesture of generosity. This large Buddha statue is beautifully placed on the lotus platform on the top of a three-toned altar which makes this statue look more amazing. When the Buddha statue was completed, monks were invited worldwide for its opening ceremony. Visitors have to climb 268 steps to reach the Buddha.
4. Buddha Dordenma Statue, Bhutan
Great Buddha Dordenma is located in Kuenselphodrang, Thimphu, Bhutan. The statue is made of bronze and gilded with gold. It is situated at 169 feet and contains 100,000 8-inch-tall and 25,000 12-inch-tall gilded bronze Buddhas. The statue contains 125,000 smaller Buddha statues inside. Great Buddha Dordenma is one of the largest Buddha rupas in the world, which represents the manifestation of human faith and eternity. The Buddha statue is surrounded by a park that covers over 943.4 acres of forest area. The park even has gymnasiums which opened in 2015.
5. Wat Pho
Wat Pho is a Buddhist temple located in the Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok, Thailand. This is one of Bangkok’s oldest temples that covers an area of 50 rai or 80,000 square meters. The temple contains four great chedis, 91 small chedis, two belfries, several viharas (halls), and many buildings such as pavilions, gardens, and a small temple museum. Wat Pho is also known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. This place holds the distinction of having both Thailand’s largest reclining Buddha image and the largest number of Buddha images in Thailand. The reclining Buddha represents Buddha’s entry into Nirvana. This reclining Buddha statue is gold-plated 46 meters long and 15 meters high.
6. Great Buddha of Kamakura
The Daibutsu of Kamakura is a Buddhist temple, located in the city of Kamakura in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Whether framed by cherry blossoms or covered in snow, the great Buddha of Kamakura is a beautiful Buddha statue. With his eyes closed, desperately trying to block out the world. This temple is popular for its Buddhist statue which represents Amitabha. It is a beautiful bronze statue of Buddha that is 40 feet high and weighs around 93 tons. While it is proposed to be a UNESCO World Heritage site.