17 Golden Statues You Didn’t Know Existed

These gilded and glorious icons shine in unexpected places.

by roxannehoorn

17 Places

At competitions ranging from the Oscars to the Olympics, gold is the color of excellence. Around the world, it can also stand for prosperity or enlightenment. And just about anywhere you see it, gold demands attention. Whether it’s a solid gold Buddha, a thousand-pound golden guitar, or a foam Statue of David coated in gaudy gold paint, these places capture the eye.

Thaton District, Myanmar

Kyaiktiyo Pagoda

A precariously perched golden rock defies gravity and brings pilgrims from across Myanmar.

serflac

Added by serflac

Mansfield, England

The Golden Hand Sculpture

Constructed 20 years ago, this sculpture is slowly fading to the hands of time.

Dr Alan P Newman

Added by Dr Alan P Newman

Louisville, Kentucky

Golden Statue of David

The Midwestern United States' tribute to Michelangelo is a foam statue sprayed with gaudy gold paint.

Added by Ethan Nicholls

Bangkok, Thailand

Golden Buddha of Wat Traimit

This enormous gold Buddha statue was hidden inside a stucco decoy for centuries.

katielou106

Added by katielou106

Gold Bug Guardian Statue

Guarding the city of Chiyoda is a bizarre insectile creature with a name no one can pronounce.

Fred Cherrygarden

Added by Fred Cherrygarden

Rutherford, New Jersey

Victor Victori's Multiplism Statues

Seven golden statues rise into the sky from sculptor Victor Victori's New Jersey front lawn.

victorialhthompson

Added by victorialhthompson

Widgiemooltha, Australia

Widgiemooltha Golden Eagle Nugget

A roadside replica of the largest single piece of gold ever found in Western Australia.

Added by Obscuravibes

Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

Arch of Neutrality

A dictator's gold statue once rotated to face the sun on a 75-meter high marble tower.

Allison

Added by Allison

Golden Summit Temple

A golden temple atop a sacred mountain, known for its giant effigy of the revered Pu Xian.

Clinton

Added by Clinton

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Golden Driller

The fifth tallest statue in the United States is a shirtless monument to the oil worker.

lewblank

Added by lewblank

Hanover, Germany

Der goldene Leibniz-Keks (Golden Leibniz Cookie)

This gilded emblem was once stolen by a Cookie Monster impostor, who demanded a charitable ransom for its return.

Johan SWE

Added by Johan SWE

Golden Frog of Hakata Station

It is rumored that if you spot this little golden frog hiding in plain sight, good luck will come your way.

Fred Cherrygarden

Added by Fred Cherrygarden

London, England

The Golden Boy at Pye Corner

A portly statue of a golden boy commemorates an unusual cause of the Great Fire of London: the sin of gluttony.

Luke J Spencer

Added by Luke J Spencer

Council Bluffs, Iowa

Golden Spike Monument

This massive railroad spike celebrates the 1939 premiere of the movie “Union Pacific.”

Added by Schweg

The Asahi Flame

This enormous monument is one of the most iconic structures in Tokyo, rudely nicknamed "The Golden Turd."

Fred Cherrygarden

Added by Fred Cherrygarden

Sofia, Bulgaria

Statue of Sveta Sofia

"Holy Wisdom" overlooks the city that became its namesake.

Molly McBride Jacobson

Added by Molly McBride Jacobson

Hillvue, Australia

Big Golden Guitar

Monument that stands 40 feet and weighs 1,000 pounds.

nbj914

Added by nbj914

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