The Spring Temple Buddha is a statue depicting Vairocana Buddha located in the Zhaocun township of Lushan County, Henan, China, built from 1997 to 2008. It is located within the Fodushan Scenic Area, close to National Freeway no. 311. At 128 m (420 ft), not including a 20 m (66 ft) lotus pedestal, it is the tallest statue in the world.
When the 25 m (82 ft) pedestal/building it is placed upon is taken into account, the monument has a total height of 153 m (502 ft). As of October 2008, the hill on which the statue stands is being reshaped to form two further pedestals, the upper one being 15 m tall. The total height of the monument is now said to be 208 m (682 ft).
The project as a whole was estimated to cost around $55 million, $18 million of which being spent on the statue. It was originally estimated to consist of 1,100 pieces of copper (not copper bronze or brass) cast, with a total weight of 1,000 tonnes. Beneath the statue is a Buddhist monastery.
The Spring Temple Buddha derives its name from the nearby Tianrui hot spring, which spews water at 60°C and is renowned in the area for its curative properties. The Foquan Temple, built during the Tang dynasty, houses the "Bell of Good Luck", placed on top of Dragon Head peak. This bronze bell weighs 116 tonnes.
Approximate heights of various notable statues:
1. Spring Temple Buddha 153 m (incl. 25 m pedestal and 20 m throne)
2. Statue of Liberty 93 m (incl. 47 m pedestal)
3. The Motherland Calls 91 m (excl. pedestal)
4. Christ the Redeemer 38 m (incl. 8 m pedestal)
5. Statue of David 5.17 m (excl. 2.5 m pedestal)
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