The Statue of Unity stands as a colossal tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the "Iron Man of India." While visitors marvel at its record-breaking height, the engineering behind this monument is just as impressive. For instance, the project reached completion in a record-breaking 33 months, far faster than other global landmarks. Furthermore, the height of the statue carries a specific political meaning for the state of Gujarat. Prepare to stand in the shadow of a giant.
Statue of Unity
It is the tallest statue in the entire world. Standing at 182 meters (597 feet), it is nearly twice the height of the Statue of Liberty. If you include the base, the total structure reaches a staggering 240 meters into the sky.
The height of 182 meters is a tribute to the people of Gujarat. Specifically, the number represents the 182 constituencies in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly. Thus, the designers chose the exact measurement to reflect the democratic structure of the state.
Farmers across India donated their old tools to build it. The “Statue of Unity Movement” asked millions of farmers to contribute scrap iron. Eventually, they collected 135 metric tonnes of iron, and engineers used about 109 tonnes of it to strengthen the statue’s foundation.
The statue is actually walking. Sculptor Ram V. Sutar designed the figure with its left foot slightly forward. Therefore, unlike many stiff monuments, Patel appears to be walking toward the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada River.
It will eventually turn green like the Statue of Liberty. The exterior consists of 1,700 tonnes of bronze plates. Over the next century, natural oxidation from rain and pollution will cause the bronze to develop a green patina, changing its appearance forever.
Statue of Unity can withstand wind speeds of 180 kilometers per hour. Engineers designed the structure to face extreme weather. In fact, it can also survive earthquakes measuring up to 6.5 on the Richter scale, making it one of the sturdiest monuments on the planet.
High-speed elevators take you to the chest in seconds. Two lifts inside the legs can carry 20 people each at a time. They reach the viewing gallery at 135 meters in just about a minute, offering a panoramic view of the mountain ranges.
The bronze “skin” is made of thousands of panels. Because of the statue’s complex shape, designers could not use large sheets of metal. Instead, they used 565 macro and 6,000 micro-panels to create the detailed texture of Patel’s shawl and dhoti.
You can see the statue from space. Because of its massive scale and bright bronze cladding, satellites can easily capture images of the monument from orbit. It stands out as a clear landmark against the green landscape of the Narmada valley.
A 93-year-old artist was the mastermind behind the design. Renowned Indian sculptor Ram V. Sutar created the model for the statue. He spent months studying thousands of photographs to ensure the facial expression captured Patel’s dignity and strength.
The project cost nearly $430 million to complete. The government spent approximately 2,989 crore rupees on the construction. Consequently, the site now includes a museum, a high-tech research center, and a beautiful “Valley of Flowers” to attract tourists.
It contains enough concrete to build several skyscrapers. Workers used 210,000 cubic meters of cement and concrete for the core. Furthermore, they utilized 18,500 tonnes of reinforced steel to ensure the structure remains standing for centuries.
The surrounding area features a garden of 450 cactus species. The “Cactus Garden” near the statue provides a desert-like ecosystem in the middle of a river basin. It showcases 6 lakh plants, including rare succulents from all over the world.
Archaeologists discovered dinosaur remains nearby. Recent excavations in the Narmada valley revealed bones of the Rajasaurus Narmadensis. Thus, the site now includes a “Dino Trail” featuring a 75-foot replica of the endemic Indian dinosaur.
Finally, the “Iron Man” truly earned his nickname here. Sardar Patel is celebrated for uniting 562 princely states into a single nation. Therefore, the statue serves as a literal and symbolic representation of the unity he provided to modern India.
