Statues of Famous People in the UK, USA, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, HK, Australia, S Africa and more

Statues of favourite, famous people as well as religious figures and heroes and heroines of mythology are all around.  Let's start with where I am now, writing this in London, England.

London, England

You can sit next to comedian Spike Milligan in a pleasant park in Finchley, NW London, or pose beside author Oscar Wilde right in the city centre near Trafalgar Square.

For inspiration see the bust of Einstein in the sculpture section of the Victoria & Albert Museum. On a fine day, see the outdoor statues. On a dull day see Sherlock Holmes outside Baker Street station and the waxworks in Madame Tussaud's.

Statues In London

Nelson's column is a landmark in Trafalgar Square. You need to set your camera to multiply times three to get more detail. 

The world has many statues of Queen Victoria, royals, world famous figures, and local heroes. 

In London we have statues of Oscar Wilde in the centre, and  Amy Winehouse in Camden. I have a book just on statues of London.

Sigmund Freud sits in Hampstead near the Freud Museum, London, England.

Photo by Mike Peel and another in Wikipedia.

A temporary Freddy Mercury memorial picture is on the Spanish steps at Wembley, London, England, in the autumn of 2026. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy4z8mzx7gwo

Shakespeare's bust is outside the free Guildhall Art Gallery in Guildhall Yard in London. 

Engineer Brunel sits on Paddington station. the other side of the station is a small statue of Paddington Bear.

A statue of Abraham Lincoln is in Parliament Square, London, England.

You can also see a bust of Mandela in London, outside the Festival Hall on the South Bank (of the river Thames).

 The Three Graces by Canova in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, England, UK

National Galleries of Scotland in Edinburgh (jointly owned, moving between these two museums), UK

Statues in England

Up north in Manchester, England, is a statue of Chopin at a piano, commemorating his visit to the city in the last year of his life.

A statue of Queen Elizabeth II with her corgi dogs is in Rutland, England.

Another is in Newcastle-under-Lyme in Queens Gardens, England.

Another is on York Minster, in York, England.

Manchester England, has a statue of Abraham Lincoln on Lincoln Square. Recalling the support Manchester gave Lincoln in the American Civil war.

The Beatles statue is in Liverpool.

And politician Margaret Thatcher's statue is in Grantham Lincolnshire, by the Grantham Museum, England.

The statue of playwright J B Priestley, who wrote An Inspector Calls, is on Princes Street outside the Museum of Science & Media in Bradford, England, UK. He was born in Bradford.

Scotland Statues

Statues of Robbie Burns who wrote Auld Lang Syne, sung by people all over the world on New Year's eve, are in Ayr, Edinburgh, Glasgow.

Wales Statues

A statue of Gandhi is in Cardiff, Wales, UK.

A statue of seated Dylan Thomas, poet who wrote Under Milk Wood and poem Do not go gentle into that goodnight, is by the Dylan Thomas theatre in Swansea, Wales, UK.

David Lloyd George, statue standing by Caernarfon Castle, Wales. Prime Minister, credited with introducing the National Health Service.

Statue of Aneurin Bevan in Cardiff, Wales, jointly credited with founding the National Health Service.

Australia's Statues

Questacon (Canberra, Australia): A prominent Albert Einstein statue marks the entrance to Australia's National Science and Technology Centre.

Statues In Canada

A statue of Queen Elizabeth II is in Toronto, Canada.

A statue of Queen Victoria is on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

Statues of several Canadian Prime Ministers are on Parliament Path. 

Some statues may have been moved or removed. Check before taking a trip to see them.

Denmark Statues

The Little Mermaid, immortalised by Hans Christian Andersen.

A statue of the author Hans Christian Andersen is in Roseborg Gardens in Copenhagen.

Statues in France

The statue of the thinker is in the Rodin Gallery in Paris, France.

Dreyfus statue, Paris, France.

Burghers of Calais, group statues, in Calais France, by sculptor Rodin.

Statues In Greenland

Erik the Red and Leif Eriksson, explorers.

Australian Statues

Captain Cook statues are in Sydney and Melbourne.

Belarus

Statue of Marc Chagall, famous for his paintings, stained glass windows and sculptures. A statue of him is in

Bosnia Statues

Bruce Lee (Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina): A notable bronze statue of Bruce Lee stands in Zrinjevac Park, erected as a universal symbol of youth, solidarity, and pop culture neutrality across ethnic divides. [1]

Canada - Statues

See a statue of jazz pianist Oscar Peterson seated at his piano in Ottawa, Canada.

A-maze-ing Laughter statue is a popular photo spot in Vancouver.

China - Hong Kong

Bruce Lee Hong Kong: A famous life-sized statue honouring the martial artist stands in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong,

Czech Republic statues

See the statue of author Kafka in Prague. There are several statues associated with Kafka.

Germany's statues

Goethe Monument, Liepsig, Germany.

Walhalla Temple (Donaustauf, Germany): A bust sculpted by Ulrich Uhlig is displayed inside this hall of fame honoring distinguished Germans.

Israel

A replica of the Washington DC monument to Einstein is in the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Jerusalem, Israel. 

Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Jerusalem, Israel): A bronze sculpture of Einstein created by Georgy Frangulyan stands at the Edmond J. Safra Campus, honoring Einstein's role as one of the founders of the university.

Italy & The Vatican Statues

Outdoor statue of biblical David in Florence, Italy.

The Muses from Classical Antiquity (Roman) in The Vatican Museums, Rome, Italy.

Lithuanian Statues & Busts

The Three Muses statue, Vilnius, Lithuana. Situated above the main entrance to the Lithuanian National Drama Theatre on Gediminias Avenue.

Monument to John Lennon.

Monument to Frank Zappa.

Monument to Leonard Cohen.

Monument to the Vilna Gaon. (Child prodigy and later leader of Jewish community thinkers, who had memorised the entire bible at the age of 9.)

Mexico's Statues

Monument to Christopher Columbus in Mexico City.

Parque México (Mexico City, Mexico): A bronze bust of Einstein sculpted by Tosia Malamud stands in the Condesa neighborhood.

New Zealand Statues

A statue of Queen Victoria is in Auckland, on the North Island of New Zealand.

A statue of Captain James Cook is in Christchurch on the south island of New Zealand. I nearly got run over by a tram, as I was trying to photograph the statue, backing across the road to get it all in.

A statue of Burt Monroe, world motorcycle speed record holder, is shown on his motorbike in Invercargill, the southernmost city on the South Island of New Zealand.

Norway's Statues

Henrik Ibsen, playwright, has a statue in Oslo, outside the theatre.

Statues In Poland

A giant statue of composer Chopin in Warsaw is a landmark which you pass, or stop at, in guided tours of the city.

A statue of pianist Arthur Rubinstein at his piano, 

Portugal

Monument to the Discoveries, has Prince Henry the navigator and a series of statues of other famous explorers including Vasco da Gama. 

Christ the King.

Russia's Statues

Statue of Lenin in St Petersburg, Russia.

The Three Graces by Canova, neoclassical sculptor (1757-1822) in The Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg, Russia,

Singapore Statues

Singapore has a statue of Sir Stamford Raffles. 

Many more outdoors statues include a bird, a horse.

I love the children jumping into the water. 

The giant statue of the mythical Merlion spouts water. 

A plaque honours writer Joseph Conrad.

In Madame Tussauds on Sentosa Island you can see Lee Kuan Yew.

South African Statues

Statues of Mandela are everywhere, for example, in Cape Town, 

Nelson Mandela in Pretoria, 

Nelson Mandela in Durban.

Nelson Mandela, in Nelson Mandela Square, Johannesburg 

and more. 

Statues in Spain

A statue of seated Maimonides is in Maimonides Square in Cordoba, Spain.

The Three Muses are in The Prado, Madrid, Spain.

Statue of Cervantes, author of Don Quixote, in Madrid, Spain.

Statue of painter Velazquez in Madrid, Spain.

Monument to Columbus, Salamanca.

Monument to human towers, Tarragona, Spain.

Sweden's Statues

In Malmo, Sweden, you might want to see the jolly multi-person parade of statues in the Optimist Orchestra.

Switzerland's Statues

Freddie Mercury (Montreux, Switzerland): A famous 3-meter bronze sculpture by sculptor Irena Sedlecká stands overlooking Lake Geneva. It depicts Mercury in his iconic 1986 Wembley Stadium live pose. 

Rosengarten (Bern, Switzerland): A statue located in Bern's Rose Garden park commemorates the city where Einstein developed his Special Theory of Relativity while working at the Swiss Patent Office.

William Tell statue, Altdorf, Switzerland.

USA Statues

Visitors to New York are greeted by the giant Statue of Liberty. 

A statue of Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point, was placed in Times Square, New York, on September 10th 2026, the first anniversary of his death.

A statue of Scottish poet Robbie Burns is in New York, USA.

Another popular place, memorable and recognizable is the Lincoln Memorial, a giant statue of Abraham Lincoln seated outdoors in Washington DC in the USA. 

Albert Einstein Memorial (Washington, D.C., USA): Created by sculptor Robert Berks and located at the National Academy of Sciences, this massive, 12-foot bronze statue depicts Einstein seated on a three-step granite bench with a paper displaying his equations ($E = mc^2$, the photoelectric effect, and general relativity).

University of South Alabama (Mobile, Alabama, USA): Features the "Einstein Bench," a bronze sculpture depicting Einstein sitting on an outdoor campus bench.

Mount Rushmore in South Dakota is well known. A more recent mountain carving is Crazy Horse.

In the USA another statue of Einstein which you can sit next to is in Los Angeles at the Griffith Observatory.

Bruce Lee in Los Angeles: Famous life-sized statue honouring the martial artist is along the Avenue of Stars.

More Statues Worldwide

Useful Websites About Famous People and Statues

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_Hall_of_Fame

https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2017/05/wheres-statue.html

https://www.reutersconnect.com/item/artist-sergio-furnari-reveals-his-statue-of-turning-point-founder-charlie-kirk-in-times-square-in-new-york/

https://www.stephenshouseandgardens.com/visit/spike-milligan-statue

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Statues_in_Spain

https://www.un.org/ungifts/pianist (About Arthur Rubinstein)

https://www.mayflowercruisesandtours.com/iceland-greenland-erik-and-leif/

See Tripadvisor for top ten monuments or sites in each country, and Wikipedia for statues in each country.

America has many statues, as well as carvings of presidents, not only Mount Rushmore.

-ends-

See Super Size Statues, in South Dakota, Dignity, Sitting Bull, Mount Rushmore, and the buffalo in North Dakota, in the USA

 In South Dakota of course I was taken to see Mount Rushmore and told about the as yet unfinished  Crazy horse memorial. Now I have discovered more. The statue of Dignity popped up on a friend's Facebook page. I then found Sitting Bull and the Buffalo up in North Dakota. I like the colour and the movement in the Dignity statue. Another plus point is the fact that a woman is show, for once fully clothed, unlike so many modern famous statues of women. It was also good to be reminded that the word Dakota for the state is the name of the local tribe. 

The giant statue is 50 feet high, just over 15 metres. The native woman is receiving a quilt with a blue and white star pattern.

Giant statue, South Dakota, USA.

This is the Dignity statue. It has 100 blue diamond shapes which move in the wind 'like Aspen tree leaves". It is overlooking the river and seen from the nearby interstate road by traffic approaching in both directions. 

The statue honours the two indiginous groups of people in South Dakota, the Dakota and the Lakota.

Another statue in South Dakota is the monument to Sitting Bull.

The traditionally best known tourist attraction of the region is the giant statue of the four presidents at Mount Rushmore.

South Dakota.

Crazy Horse memorial, South Dakota. Photo from Wikipedia.

Going north from South Dakota you reach North Dakota.

In North Dakota a big draw is the giant statue of the buffalo, in Jamestown.

North Dakota.

Useful Websites

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dignity_(statue)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Colossal_statues_in_the_United_States

https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Rapid_City

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crazy_Horse_Memorial

Please share links to your favourite blog posts.

Don't dehydrate. How water can help you when travelling

On a walking tour of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, I asked about water at the start of the trip. I was glad I did. We had a long wait of over ten minutes before departing. The guide told us we were visiting public sites for over an hour and would not be stopping anywhere for drinks and water. I darted into a plaace she pointed out to refill with water. But bad news was to come.

Half way through the trip, the whole walk was halted for over twenty minutes because an apparently fit young man collapsed, possibly due to the heat. Several of us grew tired of waiting in the heat and set off on our own, missing the last part of the tour, if it ever took place.

I kept thinking of Wall Drug, South Dakota, advertising around the world its offer of free iced water.

Wall Drug Store advertisement  in the USA.

Wall Drug store advertisement in Antarctica. Photo from Wikipedia.

Wall Drug advertisement in Afghanistan. Photo from Wikipedia.

Water is essential for survival and feeling well. American hotels often have water dispensers and ice dispensers in the lobby of hotels and every floor or every other floor.

What are the possible effects of lack of water?
A doctor told us:
1 The pains in your legs could be due to lack of water.
2 If your urine is dark you need to drink more water.

Cramp when swimming.
Drink water before swimming.

Singapore flag

In the tropics, such as Singapore, drink water in the morning when you wake. You have been sweating all night. The same applies to other parts of Asia, in Europe and Southern USA in summer, even New York and Washington DC, when hiking, taking a boat.

More signs of dehydration:

Aches and pains in your limbs and body.
Eyelids feel dry and you rub them until you get a stye.
Nose is dry so you cannot smell the wine or the food and you keep sneezing.

Generally tired and lackadaisical.
Inability to reach decisions. In a restaurant you can't decide what to choose off the menu.
Get drunk fast and fall asleep.

Wake up feeling no better than when you went to sleep.
Too hot.
Itchy skin.
Dandruff.
Constipation which makes you feel more sluggish.
Irritable.

Drink water. You are alert enough to decide or what to eat or to cook yourself some food. Energy enough to clean your teeth and go to bed in time to get up early.

So where can you get water? Ask!

Ask for water. Look for water.

In Airports
When getting off the plane, fill up at the airport fountains.

On Planes
Save the water from your lunch or diner or breakfast if you have not drunk it rather than letting it go to landfill.

If you fear that a foil-topped container will burst in your bag, carry it in a separate bag.  Or decant it into your water bottle.

Alternatively, use the saved water for brushing your teeth, washing your hands and body, in the airplane toilet which has signs saying Not Drinking Water.

In Hotels
Ask at reception. When offered a welcome drink of alchohol or juice ask for water.
Go past the gym and fill up your water bottle.

In Shops
Ask for water, especially if you have made a large purchase or are kept waiting.
Choose places which have free water.
Remember Wall Drug in the USA which grew its business and its town by adveritsing Free iced water.

In homes you visit, ask for water. make sure everyone else has water, too. Family friends, your driver.

After drinking water, you might need a toilet.

Drink water before taking a long train journey or leaving home for a long journey. Make sure everybody else also drinks water and goes to the toilet.

Write the word for water in your diary or notebook in the languages you will need on holiday or a business trip.

I just used Google translate to find and confirm the words for water in other languages.

Here are some handy words:

Flag of Canada

French
French is spoken in France and Canada.
De l'eau - some water
Je voudrais de l'eau, s'il vous plait. I would like some water please.

Flag of Germany.

German
wasser - water
Ich mochte etwas wasser trinken, bitte. (Notice the verb is at the end of the sentence.)

Spanish Flag.

Spanish
agua - water
Me gustaria berber agua. Por favor.

Italian flag.

Italian
Vorrei un po d'acqua da bere, per favore.














Flag of Indonesia.

Indonesian
Agua















Flag of Israel.

Hebrew
Mayim - water

Japanese
water - misu

Flag of Singapore.

In Singapore there are four languages, English, Chinese (Mandarin), and Tamil.

Chinese (Mandarin)
Water
drinking water
(The word for water is 'shway' as in fung shway which means wind water, implying harmony with wind and water.) The different dialects such as Cantonese pronounce it differently, such as foong shooey. Ask for the local pronounciation of wind water and you will be able to remember the word for water.

水
饮用水

Shuǐ
yǐnyòng shuǐ

wind
water
translated into traditional Chinese
風
水
Fēng
shuǐ

On long-haul flights such as Singapore Airlines, the staff come around with trays of drinking water between meal times and water is served with meals.

Now I'm off to drink some water. How about you?

Useful Websites
singaporeair.com


About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.

Wall Drug, South Dakota - world famous - why?

You stop at Wall Drug driving to Mount Rushmore, South Dakota. Mount Rushmore is 60 miles west of Wall Drug. Photo of Mt Rushmore in public domain because taken by a federal government employee. See Wikipedia for details.

Problem
When we stopped at a giant supermarket in South Dakota and the Tourist Board told us it was one of the state's main attractions, known throughout the USA - and world-famous, I was slightly puzzled.

Now I know why it was world-famous. They started small, with so few customers they were on the point of selling. Until the wife thought of advertising free iced water. Their selling point was 'free iced water'. Their water came from a well in the backyard.

The husband installed advertising wherever he could, non-stop, everywhere. The 3,000 signs along the highways had something to do with it. The great American success story.

They advertised on buses in Britain, buses in New York.

It's a story about the power of advertising, of believing in yourself. The religious couple provided a chapel, where travellers could give thanks for their safe journey, and pray for further safe journeys. A bit like modern chapels in airports.

The son took things one stage further. The store became more like a theme park, full of big models, moving models, photo opportunities. Free water, cheap coffee, and every kind of clothing and souvenir you could think of.

I wanted a cowgirl shirt - or a cowboy shirt. They were too expensive. Eventually, I admitted that I wanted something cheaper. Somebody found me a bargain corner. I bought a shirt.

The moral is, for tourist attractions, advertise, offer something free or cheap. For tourists, if you want a cheaper souvenir, ask for it. As they say, those who don't ask, don't get. They have had ads from as far away as Afghanistan and the Arctic.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Sign for Wall Drug
Date	10 June 2004 (original upload date)
Source	From http://foreversummer.escf.com/pics.html (permission granted under GFDL) Previously at en.wikipedia; description page is/was here.
Author	The original uploader was Jkeiser at English Wikipedia

Licensing[edit]

Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled GNU Free Documentation License. Subject to disclaimers.

More details on Wall Drug from:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Drug
https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2216
visitusa.com