Hello everyone! Did you know that Buddha statues play an important role in Buddhism? If you are interested in and impressed by this culture, I’m sure you’ll feel inspired to learn more about the temples and statues around the world. Discover some interesting facts about the top 15 biggest Buddha statues that attract visitors from all over the globe.
The Great Buddhas of Monywa, Myanmar, are a visual treat for visitors, featuring two magnificent giant Buddhas: a standing Buddha and a reclining Buddha. The standing Buddha, located directly behind the reclining Buddha, is about 116 meters tall and is also known as Laykyun Setkyar. It stands on a pedestal that is about 13.5 meters high. Construction of the statue began in 1996 and was completed in 2008, making it the third-largest standing Buddha statue in the world. It comprises 31 floors, each representing one of the 31 planes of existence or realms of life cycles, with paintings depicting each realm. The reclining statue, also called Aung Sekkya Stupa, is about 90 meters long, built in 1991, and is hollow. Visitors can view the 9,000 Buddha illustrations through a door at the back of the statue.
The Spring Temple Buddha is located in China’s Zhaocun township near the Fodushan scenic area and depicts the Vairocana Buddha. The Spring Temple is not widely known as it is situated in a remote part of China, yet it remains the main attraction in this area. The statue was built between 1997 and 2008. It was considered the second tallest Buddha statue in the world until 2018 and holds a Guinness World Record. The total height of the statue is 128 meters, excluding the 25-meter lotus throne. The mountain on which the statue stands is reshaped into two pedestals The Diamond Seat and The Sumeru Seat. Including these pedestals brings the height of the statue to 208 meters.
The Leshan Giant Buddha statue in China stands 233 feet tall and is considered the tallest and largest Buddha statue in the world. The Buddha is constructed at the confluence of the Qingyi River, Dadu River, and Min River. The construction of this statue was first initiated by a Chinese monk named Hai Tong to aid the people living around the confluence of the three rivers, who experienced many boat accidents. Hai Tong believed the Buddha would bring the water spirit under control. The statue exhibits exceptional architectural excellence, with several channels hidden within the body of the Buddha to store rainwater and prevent erosion.
Wat Pho is considered one of the largest and oldest temples in Bangkok, covering an area of about 80,000 square meters. It was built by Rama III in 1832. The Reclining Buddha statue is visited by thousands of people each day because of its unique appearance. The statue is gold-plated and measures 46 meters long and 15 meters high. The reclining position represents the Buddha’s entering into Nirvana. The eyes and feet of the Buddha are beautifully decorated with pearls. There are a total of 108 bronze bowls placed in the corridor, representing 108 positive characteristics that helped the Buddha attain enlightenment. It is believed that dropping coins in the bowls brings luck and helps the monks preserve and maintain Wat Pho.
The Great Buddha Dordenma statue is located amidst the ruins of Kuensel Phodrang. The statue stands 169 feet tall and represents Shakyamuni Buddha. One of the most interesting facts about the Buddha Dordenma statue is that it contains 125,000 small Buddhas encapsulated inside. All the statues inside are made of bronze and gilded in gold, just like the giant Buddha statue itself. It contains 100,000 8-inch tall miniature statues and 25,000 12-inch tall miniature statues. The total population of Thimphu is only around 100,000, meaning the number of Buddhas present exceeds the population. The cost of the statue is $100 million, and its construction was fully completed only in 2015.
Kōtoku-in is a Buddhist temple located in Japan, famous for the Kamakura Daibutsu, which is about 43.8 feet tall and weighs around 121 tonnes. The construction of this bronze statue dates back to 1252, making it the second-largest Buddhist monument in Japan. The statue has been destroyed by natural disasters multiple times. Originally coated with gold, the bronze statue was damaged by a tsunami on September 20, 1492, but traces of gold are still visible on its cheeks. The statue is hollow inside, and visitors are allowed to view its interior.
Tian Tan Buddha, also called Big Buddha, is located on Lantau Island, Hong Kong. The Big Buddha represents Buddha Shakyamuni and is one of the largest Buddha statues in China. The construction was completed in 1993, symbolizing the relationship between man and nature. The statue stands around 112 feet tall and weighs approximately 280 tons. To get a closer look at the majestic Tian Tan Buddha, visitors must climb 268 steps. The statue is surrounded by six bronze statues called “The Offering of Six Devas,” representing generosity, morality, patience, zeal, meditation, and wisdom.
The Grand Buddha statue is located on the North Shore of Lake Tai. It is one of the largest Buddha statues in the world, standing at 88m tall, including the 9m lotus pedestal. To approach this majestic statue, visitors must climb 216 steps, symbolizing 108 obstacles and 108 wishes. Upon reaching the top of the stairs, visitors arrive at the foot of the Grand Buddha. The statue and its lotus pedestal are made from 2,000 sheets of bronze. The ‘fearless mudra’ in the left hand signifies bravery and fearlessness in facing challenges, while the right hand symbolizes bestowing blessings upon the people.
The Great Buddha statue of Thailand is also known as The Big Buddha of Thailand. This statue is located in Ang Thong Province of Thailand. This statue is called the first tallest statue in Thailand, and the ninth tallest in the world. Also, it is the second tallest statue in Southern Asia. This statue stands up to 92 m and 300 feet in height, and 210 feet wider. This construction started in 1990 and was completed in 2008. The Great Buddha statue is built using donated money from the Buddhists. Also, this place has a park which is surrounded by lotus flowers.
The statue of Gautama Buddha is located in the city called Kyaikto, in Myanmar. This statue is 255.5 feet and 77.9 meters high. This statue was opened on the 6th of April 1982, which coincided with Myanmar’s Buddha’s Birthday festival. This statue has nearly seventeen floors with an elevator and a cooking area providing free meals. This statue took seven whole years to complete and V. Ganapathi Sthapati designed it. It was constructed using both sandstone and red granite.
This Buddha statue “Luangpho Yai” also known as Phra Phutta, is located in the Wat Bhurapha Phiram temple and is the fourth tallest statue in Thailand. This statue stands 59.2 meters high and the construction was completed in the year 1973. The statue is covered with a concrete mosaic and the focus was given on fait rather than the external beauty of the statue.
The Great Standing Maitreya Buddha statue is located in Beipu, Taiwan. This statue is 72 meters tall and has a wide smile with an enlarged belly. Actually, this statue is based on the story of Maitreya, who was a very close friend of the Charudatta. Here Maitreya was considered the Buddha of the future, who wanted to teach enlightenment to the next generation. In this history, he was referred to as the bodhisattva before becoming the Buddha. He is known as the “Lord of Love” and also the “Noble Loving One.”
”Buddhas of Bamiyan” was built in the 6th century. It has two monumental size statues which are about 115 and 174 feet tall. It was situated in the Bamiyan Valley, Central Afghanistan. This statue was built around 600 CE, which was the time when the Hephthalites ruled their place. This place has been considered a holy site for every Buddhist. However, in March 2001, both statues were destroyed by the Taliban following the order of their leader Mullah Muhammad Omar. “When your children are dying in front of you, you don’t care about a piece of art,” said Taliban.
Yangshan Dafo Buddha Temple is located in Urad Rear Banner, Inner Mongolia, China. This Buddha statue is part of an old and great temple with a history of more than a thousand years, built by Emperor Liu Yan. The name ‘Dafo’ means ‘Great Buddha.’ It is known to be the fifth-tallest temple in Guangzhou. This temple has been destroyed and rebuilt many times. It is also known by many other names, such as ‘Bojue Temple,’ ‘Kashyapa Buddha,’ ‘Hongren Temple,’ and ‘Reclining Buddha Temple.’
Kyoto Daibutsu is a giant Buddha statue in Japan. It is the oldest and largest freestanding statue of Buddha in the world. This statue is truly a wonder of the ancient period. The statue was located inside a large temple hall, which was destroyed several times by natural disasters like tsunamis in the 14th and 15th centuries.
I hope this blog helps you know about the biggest Buddha statue in the world. Which one is your favorite and how many have you visited?
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