Sculptors are masters of three-dimensional art who, throughout human history, have worked to shape marble, bronze, wood and other materials into incredible shapes. Sculpture has always been an important way to understand culture and society, whether it be portrait busts of great leaders or symbolic representations of ethical principles.
If you try to count all the famous sculptures in human history, you will find that the list is endless. Today we will show you 15 of the most iconic and great works of this amazing visual arts that everyone should know about.
Bust of Nefertiti, Thutmose, 1345 BC. An image that has long been a symbol of the ideal of female beauty. It is now kept in the New Museum in Berlin.
Terracotta Army, 3rd century BC An incredible example of funerary art: 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots, 670 horses. The army was created to protect the Chinese emperor in the afterlife. It was only discovered in 1974 when farmers were digging a well.
Nike of Samothrace, 190 BC. An iconic example of Hellenistic Greek sculpture, housed in the Louvre.
Venus de Milo, 130 BC. Legendary marble sculpture dedicated to the Greek goddess Aphrodite. Also located in the Louvre.
David, Donatello, 1430-1440 The Italian Renaissance sculptor Donatello created his David almost 100 years before the legendary David of Michelangelo.
David, Michelangelo, 1501-1504 One of the most iconic sculptures in human history.
Statue of Liberty, designed by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and built by Gustav Eiffel, 1876-1886. The copper statue depicting the Roman goddess Libertas is a symbol of US freedom.
The Thinker, Rodin, 1880 (cast 1904). A masterpiece by the French sculptor Auguste Rodin, which became a symbol of philosophy.
Unique Forms of Continuity in Space, Umberto Boccioni, 1913 (cast 1931). A stunning sculpture by the brilliant Italian artist Umberto Boccioni, who died at 33, is now on display at New York's Museum of Modern Art.
Fountain, Duchamp, 1917 Marcel Duchamp once set the art world on edge with his Fountain, a sculpture that is essentially a porcelain urinal. The innovative work challenged all art lovers and made them think about traditional concepts of craftsmanship and aesthetics in art.
Lincoln Memorial, designed by Daniel Chester French and cast by PICCIRILLI BROTHERS, 1920. Sculpture depicting a contemplative Lincoln seated within the majestic temple that forms the remainder of the Lincoln Memorial. In the 1930s, the space became a symbol of race relations in the United States.
Bird in Space, Constantin Brancusi, 1923. A series of marble and bronze sculptures by the Romanian artist, depicting not the physical likeness of a bird, but a sense of movement. The original version is currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Inflatable dog, Jeff Koons, 1994-2000. The artist, who became the author of some of the most outstanding works of the 20th century, created a whole series of similar sculptures of sparkling toy dogs. One of them was auctioned at Christie's for $58.4 million in 2013.
Mother, Louise Bourgeois, 1999. The masterpiece, which is considered a symbol of the fusion of physical and psychological strength, is located near the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.
Cloud Gate, Anish Kapoor, 2004. One of the most famous works of the controversial sculptor is located in Chicago. The artist was inspired to create such an object by liquid mercury.
Even during the times of living in caves, people came up with the idea of creating rock carvings, perpetuating memorable historical dates. And then man learned to carve and fashion sculptures from various materials. Today there are many most famous sculptures world, which attract the attention of people interested in such art. Who created the most famous sculptures in the world, what meaning do they carry and where are they located?
This most famous sculpture in the world depicts the ancient Greek goddess of love Aphrodite. The date of its creation is approximately 2nd century BC. It is believed that the sculpture was made by Agesander of Antioch. The statue, carved from marble, reaches a height of just over two meters. The statue was found by a French sailor in 1820 (on the island of Milos), who went ashore on the island and carried out excavations at the site of the ruins of an ancient amphitheater together with a local peasant. Aphrodite’s hands were at first in place, but were subsequently lost during a dispute that occurred between the French, who decided to take the sculpture to their homeland, and the owners of the island, the Turks, who did not want to release such a valuable antiquity from their native places. Today this sculpture is in the Louvre.
This sculptural image was created by the hand of Michelangelo (at the age of 28). The 5-meter statue of the second king of Israel, who reigned for 40 years, became a real pinnacle of Renaissance art. Jewish prophecies said that the Messiah would come from the line of David. And, according to the records of the New Testament of Christians, the origin of Christ came from King David. That is why this image of the ideal ruler is the most replicated throughout the world.
The author of this 1.5-meter bronze sculpture, created in 1440, is Donatello. This sculpture is the first of those to depict the naked human body. David smiles mysteriously and contemplates the head of the just killed Goliath.
The statue was created in honor of the goddess Nike. It was erected by people living on the island of Rhodes in honor of the victory they won over the fleet of the king of Syria. The statue of the goddess was installed on a rock, and its pedestal was made in the form of the bow of a ship. The sculpture was found in 1863 on the island of Samothraki. Just by looking at this statue with its flowing clothes, you can feel enormous power and an uncontrollable desire to move forward. The statue is today located in the Louvre.
This is one of the most famous sculptures in the world, created by Auguste Rodin in 1882. The author initially decided to call his creation “Poet” - the sculpture was supposed to be part of a composition called “The Gates of Hell” (“The Divine Comedy”). But then the author’s plan was slightly changed, and the image of Dante was replaced by a unique creator. The model for this sculpture was the Frenchman Jean Bo, who personified physical strength. Currently, at least twenty copies of this sculpture have been created in bronze and marble. One of the bronze sculptures is located on the author’s grave in Meudon.
In this sculpture, the famous sculptor Michelangelo conveyed all the grief of the Virgin Mary for her lost son. This creation was created by the author at the age of 24 and is one of his best works, which is simply imbued with emotions, humanity and deep symbolism. In addition, the Pieta is the only work by Michelangelo that bears his signature.
This is the goddess of justice Ancient Greece. Themis wears a blindfold and also holds a horn and scales. The bandage signifies impartiality, the scales commemorate the weighing of good and evil, and the cornucopia indicates the reward or non-retribution of the one who appeared before the court of the goddess. Such a sculpture was installed at the entrance to the building of the Russian Supreme Court, but without a blindfold, which caused a lot of harsh comments in the media.
The bust of Nefertiti is one of the most famous sculptures in the world. The ancient Egyptian queen Nefertiti was the wife of Akhenaten, who was known as an excellent reformer. The bust of the queen is made of limestone and is completely painted. For quite a long time, Egypt and Germany did not come to a compromise on who should own this sculpture.
The characters in this marble sculpture, also the work of Rodin, are taken from The Divine Comedy. It was created by its author in 1889. This creation by the great sculptor depicts an aristocrat from Italy who fell in love with her husband’s younger brother - this happened while reading a work about love. As a result, the husband, having learned about this, killed both of them. The sculpture is made in such a way that the man does not touch the woman with his lips, which indicates that they did not commit a sin, but were still killed.
This is the first ancient statue that depicts a person in motion. The first such sculpture was created in 450 from bronze - the sculptor Miron is considered its author. What we can see today is a copy of the original sculpture (the original was lost in the Middle Ages). In addition, there are quite a lot of copies of the Discobolus in our time.
Hermes with Dionysus in his arms
This statue, depicting Hermes with the infant Dionysus, is made of marble. It was found during excavations of the Temple of Hera (Olympia) in 1887. Hermes reaches a height of 2.12 m, and together with the pedestal the height of the sculpture is 3.70 m. Today this sculpture with the partially lost limbs of Hermes and Dionysus is in the Olympia Museum.
This sculptural group was created in 1888 by Rodin by order of the authorities of Calais. It contains part of the history of the city, when the English king Edward III besieged the city, and people tired and exhausted from hunger were forced to surrender. Then the king demanded that six noble people come to him with ropes around their necks and in rags in order to allow themselves to be executed - in this case, he promised to leave all the inhabitants of the city alive. Seeing the exhausted and emaciated people of Calais, the English queen took pity on them and begged the king, in the name of their unborn child, to save their lives. Rodin categorically refused to create this composition on a pedestal - the figures of the citizens of Calais are located on the same level as those who want to look at the sculptural group.
This is one of the most famous and tallest statues in the world, which is located in Volgograd. The height of the statue is 52 meters. The figure of a woman who has taken a step forward calls on her sons to defend the Motherland.
This statue, installed in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), is known throughout the world. It is located at an altitude of 700 meters above the sea. The height of the figure of Christ is 30 meters. The statue was erected on Corcovado Hill in 1931. This is a fairly popular statue, so some other countries even tried to replicate it.
This sculpture, located in Brussels, is very famous. It is unknown when and by whom this sculpture was created. Many legends and traditions are associated with it. But we can definitely say that the sculpture is more than one hundred years old - there is some information that it already existed in the 15th century.
The desire of man to cut and sculpt objects, animals, as well as his own kind appeared back in the days of rock paintings. Sculptures can also be classified as one of the types of paintings; their only difference is their physicality, which shows its emotions in a slightly different way. In addition, a person’s perception of a statue is different from the perception of a painting, because it not only looks like him, but is also quite tangible. At different times, sculptors created their masterpieces and some of them exist today, delighting and pushing contemporaries to different thoughts.
David and the Thinker
Among the most famous sculptures, Michelangelo’s “David” occupies one of the places of honor. David is a biblical hero whom the great sculptor created at the age of 28. This 5-meter-high work of art is not only a representation of a specific character, but also a symbol of human genius, the Florentine Republic, and the peak of the Renaissance. This sculptural image is the most replicated.
The famous sculpture is “The Thinker” by Auguste Rodin. This image, popular to this day, was created back in 1882. This sculpture was first supposed to receive a different name - “Sings” - and become part of an entire composition created based on the work “The Divine Comedy”. The French muscular boxer Jean Bo posed for the image of the thinker. His performances could often be seen in the legendary red light district of Paris.
The Walking Man and the Venus de Milo
Not only the most famous statue in the world, but also the most expensive is the work of Alberto Giacometti with the entertaining title “The Walking Man” with a height of 1.83 m. The Swiss Alberto created it in 1961, and more recently, somewhere at the very beginning of 2010, it became a lot at auction. We bought this lot for fabulous money - 104.3 million dollars. And all this happened because “The Walking Man” is one of the most masterfully important works in the life of the author, the image of which can be seen even on 100 francs.
Speaking about the most famous sculptures, it is impossible to ignore the Venus de Milo. Presumably, its author is Agesander of Antioch. This masterpiece has quite interesting story. Created in the 2nd century BC, the statue appeared to the world again in 1820, when it was discovered on the island of Milos by a sailor from France. At that time, Venus’s hands were intact, but a dispute that arose between representatives of Turkey and France led to their loss.
Nike of Samothrace and Pieta
An ancient symbol of victory for the inhabitants of Fr. Rhodes above the Syrian fleet is a marble sculpture "Nike of Samothrace". She was found in the area of the Kabiri sanctuary on the local island of Samothraki. Nika, standing on the rock, was like the front of a ship rushing into battle. The clothes that fluttered on her in the wind gave the whole image an uncontrollability and thirst for movement. You can see the statue today in the Louvre.
It is not for nothing that Michelangelo was considered a brilliant creator. Just look at his sculpture “Pieta”. At the age of 24, the author created this one of the best scenes of the Virgin Mary herself mourning her son. Here, emotionality, symbolism and incomparable composition harmoniously merge. All these indicators led to the recognition of the sculpture as a true example of the High Renaissance.
Nefertiti and the Capitoline She-Wolf
"Nefertiti" is another of the famous statues of the world that reflects culture Ancient Egypt. It was created using limestone, which was then painted. The bright colors of the gemstones on the crown, which are still preserved on the sculpture, create an unrivaled contrast with Nefertiti's face. This work, in the form of a bust, is alternately located in Greece and Germany, which causes constant controversy.
The famous sculpture made of bronze is the “Capitolian She-Wolf”. Throughout its existence, it was located in Rome and was often interpreted as a sign of propaganda that reflected the desire of the fascist regime to restore the former Roman Empire.
Motherland and Another Place
Sculptors Nikitin and Vuchetich were directly involved in the creation of the 52-meter-high figure of a woman - the “Motherland” statue. She is one of the tallest statues in the entire world and is a symbol of a woman who calls her sons to fight the enemy by taking the first step.
The list of the most famous sculptures of our time may well be complemented by “Another Place” by Anoni Gormley. It is a landscape installation that evokes deep thoughts and even melancholy. The installation consists of 100 human images made of cast iron and placed at a distance of 3 km from the impressive coastline city of Liverpool. The statues facing the sea completely disappear into the depths of the water during high tides.
Citizens of Calais and Manneken Pis
Another famous creation of Auguste Rodin is the statue “Citizens of Calais”. King Edward III of England besieged the city during the Hundred Years' War, resulting in famine causing its inhabitants to surrender. But the cruel king set one more condition - six citizens from the nobility had to come to him with ready-made ropes around their necks in order to give themselves up for execution. When one of them did this, it aroused pity from Queen Philip, and she persuaded her husband to forgive the others.
The Manneken Pis statue, by an unknown author, is one of the main attractions of Brussels. They say its origin dates back to the 15th century, and its symbolism is interpreted ambiguously. Some believe that the sculpture depicts the son of Godfrey III of Leuven, whose cradle was deliberately suspended from one of the tall trees as an encouragement from the sight of the new monarch and to intensify the battles. The child urinated directly from there. Others believe that this is a symbol-reminder of the boy who extinguished the ammunition that was laid out under the city walls with a stream of urine. The original statue was stolen several times and then replaced with a copy.
Terracotta Army and Golden Buddha
A famous sculpture, even a whole series of 8099 such sculptures, is the “Terracotta Army” in Republic of China. These include not only warriors, but also their horses. Each of them has individual characteristics and was called upon to support the power of Qin Shi Huang when he went to the afterlife.
One of the famous statues of the world, the Golden Buddha, is located in a temple called Wat Traimit in Bangkok. It is made of solid pure gold, is 3 m high and weighs an impressive 5 tons. During the Burma War it was carefully covered with plaster and existed in this form until about 1957. It was at this time that she was transported to another place and the real Buddha was discovered, who had been hiding for many years under a plaster covering.
Another amazing Buddha statue is this piece in Leshan, China. Here the sculpture is carved directly into the rock and is the tallest creation of its kind in the world with a height of 71 meters.
Christ statue and Moai sculptures
Speaking of the most tall statues, one cannot help but say about the Statue of Christ the Redeemer, located in the city of Rio de Janeiro. In 1931, the final opening of this 30-meter creation took place, which in the near future became a model for repetition in other cities of the world.
The original statues can be seen on Easter Island in the form of Moai sculptures. Their appearance dates back to the first millennium. These monolithic figures are enormous in size. On average, their height reaches 6 m, and their weight is 20 tons. The material for their creation was volcanic rocks.
The Little Mermaid and the Statue of Liberty
A truly fabulous statue can be seen in Copenhagen near the harbor. She depicts the heroine of Andersen's fairy tale and is called "The Little Mermaid". The author of this creation, which saw the world in 1913, is Edward Eriksen.
Some statues symbolize entire cities, and this is exactly what the Statue of Liberty in New York is. Together with the pedestal, she rises 93 meters and also holds in her hands symbolic objects - a tablet and a torch.
Traveling is always associated with acquiring new experiences and vivid impressions. The latter are provided to everyone who goes to inspect one of the sculptures described above. They make you think, look differently at the world and easily discover new horizons. So you don't miss any of these bright places During your trip, the company’s website will tell you not only about famous statues, bridges, cities, etc., but will also provide you with the opportunity to find a profitable flight option to your destination and accommodation. With us you can always easily get acquainted with fascinating and useful information about countries, their local culture and traditions. And the selected rules of behavior in certain places and other subtleties of staying directly in another country will not allow you to get into an awkward situation..
Sculpture is one of the oldest forms of creativity, because people are used to depicting what they think about. Sculpture has a huge advantage over other types of fine art: sculptures and statues are much stronger than such objects of art as paintings and dishes.
Ancient sculptures provide an opportunity to look at the world through the eyes of their creators, while modern ones will open today’s view of the world for descendants. Well, today it is already possible to single out sculptures that have become famous throughout the world and have become iconic for a people, or a religion, or an era as a whole.
The Sphinx is a majestic sculpture that can safely be called one of the most ancient and mysterious creations of man. The sculpture itself is a monument to a reclining lion with a human head. The impressive dimensions of the sculpture - 20 meters in height and 73 meters in length - make you stand in awe of its creators, given that the age of the sculpture, according to various studies, ranges from 200,000 years to 6000 - 5000 BC.
The famous Sphinx is located in Giza, as an eternal and silent guardian of the valley Egyptian pyramids. Today the Sphinx is going through its troubles better days: The sculpture is severely damaged both by natural forces such as sandstorms, air and water erosion, and by human efforts.
The sculpture of Aphrodite, made of snow-white marble, also known throughout the world as the Venus de Milo, is an iconic sculpture as it has almost ideal parameters, recognized as the standard of female beauty: 90-60-90. The entire history of Aphrodite from the island of Milos from creation to discovery and current state is shrouded in mystery.
The name of the sculptor of Venus is still a mystery to historians, but according to a legend that is popular on the islands Aegean Sea, a popular sculptor in his time, in search of a model, visited the island of Milos, where he discovered a girl of extraordinary beauty. Subsequently, he fell in love with his beautiful model. The statue dates back to approximately 120 BC, and Venus was discovered already in 1820 by a peasant named Yorgos, who, while cultivating his land, came across a priceless find.
According to some reports, the sculpture was disassembled: the lower and upper parts were separated, as well as the hands, one with an apple. To date, the hands themselves have not been found, but, despite this defect, the sculpture of the Venus de Milo is considered one of the most valuable exhibits of the Louvre.
In 1980, Auguste Rodin began work on the composition “The Gates of Hell” and for two years he worked on perhaps his most famous creation, and in 1888 “The Thinker” was publicly exhibited for the first time. While working on the sculpture, Rodin changed direction several times.
Initially, “The Thinker” was “The Poet” and was supposed to become part of the composition dedicated to the “Divine Comedy”. Initially, the prototype of “The Thinker” was Dante himself. Later, inspired by the works of Michelangelo, Rodin awarded his creation with physical strength and expanded the image of the poet to the universal image of the artist, but at the opening, Rodin noted that “The Thinker” is a monument to the workers of France.
84 years ago, on October 12, 1931, one of the most majestic statues of our time, the statue of Christ the Redeemer, was unveiled in Rio de Janeiro. This thirty-meter sculpture of Christ with arms outstretched over Rio stands majestically on the top of Corcovado. The erection of such a monument is timed to coincide with the centenary of Brazil's independence.
It is noteworthy that the statue of Christ the Redeemer is truly a national monument: a competition for best project statues that would become a symbol of Brazil. After the magazine “O Cruzeiro”, through the sale of subscriptions, about 2.2 million reais were collected for the construction of the monument, which lasted about nine years. Today, the statue of Christ the Redeemer is in excellent condition thanks to regular reconstruction work.
The Statue of Liberty is an iconic structure in American culture and history. The sculpture itself symbolizes freedom and democracy, and in addition to its ceremonial meaning, it was also used as a beacon. It is believed that the statue itself was a gift from France for the centenary of US independence, but the opening of the monument was delayed for 10 years and was successfully held in 1885.
The famous creator took part in the creation of the Statue of Liberty Eiffel Tower– Alexander Gustav Eiffel himself. Statue of Liberty. If you climb observation deck in the “crown” of the statue, you can enjoy the view of New York Harbor.
The central attraction of Bangkok's Wat Traimit temple is the golden Buddha statue. The Golden Buddha is the world's largest solid gold statue, weighing 5 and a half tons. Presumably the Golden Buddha was cast in the 13th – 4th centuries. Interestingly, such value was hidden from the public eye for a long time.
The temple itself, in which the statue is located today, was built not so long ago in the twentieth century. And the statue revealed itself in a very mysterious way: an old statue was brought for the temple from an abandoned temple from the northern part of the country, and during transportation of the statue, part of the plaster was broken off, and under it - a statue made of pure gold!
On August 23, 1913, the center of Copenhagen was decorated with a sculpture of the Little Mermaid - a monument to the heroine of the fairy tale of the same name by Hans Christian Andersen. Carl Jacobsen commissioned the statue in 1909, inspired by Russian ballet, and Edward Erikson captured the beautiful fairy tale.
It is interesting that two models posed for the creation of the sculpture: Elline Price, the ballerina, became the “face” of the little mermaid, and the wife of the sculptor himself, Elline Erickson, posed for the figure. After Carl Jacobsen gave the Little Mermaid to Copenhagen, the sculpture repeatedly suffered at the hands of vandals and also served as a sign of protest. Today, the Little Mermaid - the hallmark of Denmark - has been completely reconstructed.
Probably the sculptures appeared almost simultaneously with rock art. The figures of people are the same paintings, but only three-dimensional. What the author is trying to express is perceived much easier and better by us, because they are so similar to us and more tangible than, for example, portraits. We have collected 13 of the most famous sculptures that were created in different time and became an example for admiration and imitation.
"Venus de Milo"
Perhaps this particular sculpture is the most recognizable, but the author has still not been identified. The only thing that is known for certain is the time of its creation - 130 BC. e. Now the statue of Venus de Milo is in the Louvre and is a source of national pride for the French. It is noteworthy that Venus does not only have arms. Initially, the stone girl had jewelry: bracelets, earrings, and a tiara. They disappeared a long time ago, but the holes for securing them are still visible in the marble.
"David"
The creator of “David” is Michelangelo Buonarroti, who lived in Italy during the Renaissance. His “David” is made in full height and does not rest on anything. The sculpture was supposed to become part of the architectural composition, but this did not happen for unknown reasons.
"Thinker"
“The Thinker” by O. Rodin is located in Paris. The model for the creation was the muscular boxer Jean Bo, who subsequently posed for the sculptor on several occasions. Initially, the master called his work “The Poet” and conceived it as an image of Dante. But the thin poet was in no way associated with muscles and strength. After The Thinker became a popular and recognized work of art, Rodin cast 10 more bronze copies.
"Discus thrower"
Another famous representative of ancient art is the “Discobolus” statue, which was cast in bronze back in 450 BC. e. Later, several marble copies appeared, but the original was lost without a trace. Presumably the author of the sculpture was a certain Myron, who was the first to bring to life the idea of movement.
Statue of Christ the Redeemer
It is the main attraction of Rio de Janeiro. Every year, to see this grandeur towering over the city, about 2 million tourists come here, ready to overcome 220 steps to get to the monument. Not long ago, the statue was included in the list of Wonders of the World. It was erected back in 1931, and its height is 38 meters.
Moai
Perhaps these are the most mysterious and mysterious sculptures that are located on Easter Island. 50 silent and monolithic giants are turned to face the center of the island. But who installed them and when is unknown. The natives claim that the statues can move independently.
Great Sphinx
Now the Sphinx has a sandy “color,” but during its “youth” it was covered with yellow and blue paint, the remains of which archaeologists were able to find on its “body.” He also had a beard and a headdress. However, as a result of restoration work, these elements were damaged: part of the beard is still kept in the British Museum, but the “hat” could not be restored.
Statue of Liberty
Her full name is “Freedom that Illumines the World.” The statue was presented to the Americans by the French, who supported the warlike policies of the state state. To deliver the Liberty to the United States, it had to be disassembled into 350 parts and loaded onto a ship. The difficulty of transportation was that the total weight of the sculpture exceeds 150 tons, and it took about 4 months to assemble and install the statue.
"Manneken Pis"
The most famous boy from Brussels has been “peeing” since about 1388, and since the 17th century there has been a tradition of dressing him up in a variety of costumes. More than 800 outfits are carefully preserved in the Royal Museum. Over the course of several centuries, the boy has been in the guise of Santa Claus, Count Dracula, Elvis, Mozart, and even tried on the uniform of the American military.
"Mermaid"
The bronze “Little Mermaid” is not only a symbol of Copenhagen, but also of the whole of Denmark. There is a belief that as long as the little mermaid is safe, everything will be fine in the country. It is for this reason that the authorities passionately fight against vandals: throughout its existence, the girl has lost her head more than once, she has been doused with paint many times and even blown up.
"Nike of Samothrace"
The sculpture of the Goddess of Victory is the most valuable exhibit of the Louvre. She has neither arms nor a head, but this does not in the least prevent her from being a symbol of constant movement forward. Depending on which side you look at it, it is different, but always flying towards the goal.
"The Motherland is Calling"
This sculpture, like no other, conveys the tenacity of Soviet soldiers and selfless devotion to their homeland. In the original project there were two figures: a woman with a Red Banner in her hand and a soldier bowing before her. However, it was decided to abandon this idea, as well as the pedestal with magnificent decoration.
Maitreya Buddha statue
The Chinese Buddha Maitreya is carved into a rock and is located where 3 rivers merge in a dangerous whirlpool. According to legend, the statue was supposed to pacify the water element, and the creators partially succeeded: during the cutting process, stone fragments fell into the river and covered it. It took about 90 years to create one of the tallest monuments in the world.
