Largest equestrian statue

The massive statue of Genghis Khan on horse back near Ulan Bator, Mongolia, is 50 m (164 ft 0.5 in) high, including a 10-m-high (32-ft 9.7-in) base. The 250-ton (551,155-lb) statue wrapped in gleaming stainless steel, was constructed in 2006 as part of a theme park, at a cost of around US$4.1 million (then £2.09 million). Inside the giant base, visitors experience restaurants and souvenir shops, where 36 columns represent the 36 khans from Genghis to Ligdan Khan. An elevator is then used to enter the rear of the horse, from where a sequence of stairs leads through the horse’s chest and neck to the observation deck in the head. The statue was created by sculptor D. Erdembileg and architect J. Enkhjargal. Genghis Khan was renowned as a legendary horseman who conquered half the known world in the 13th century. Born as Temujin but later known as Genghis Khan – ‘universal ruler’ – he was first mythologized as a shaman, and then considered by Buddhist monks as an incarnation of a deity descended from Indian and Tibetan kings. Today, he is increasingly used as the symbol of modern Mongolia, representing strength and independence.