14 Weirdest Monuments In The World

Monuments can be found almost everywhere in this whole wide world. Monuments are built for a particular purpose(s). They can come in differe...

Monuments can be found almost everywhere in this whole wide world. Monuments are built for a particular purpose(s). They can come in different size and forms. Some of these monuments are built to mark something special regarding a place, an occasion, a person or well...just about any reason they deem suitable for them to erect a monument. However there are some monuments out there built for the sake of making fun. Have you ever seen any so-called monuments that make your eyes popped out? Well...here are a few that I think can serve that purpose. Ha :D

14 Weirdest Monuments In The World

1~Safety Pin, San Francisco, USA. Giant Safety Pin located at the de Young Musuem. I wonder why this was made. To remind us of what? Hmm...

2~Hanging Statue, Prague, Czech Republic. No one is committing suicide. Don't worry! It's a bronze statue hanging from one of the buildings representing the fall of communism. Very symbolic aye.

3~The Hanging Rhino, Postdam, Germany. This I really don't know why...

4~The Child-eating Ogre, Bern, Switzerland. In the Swiss city of Bern, a disturbing fountain depicts an ogre devouring a naked child, while holding an armful of other terrified-looking children. This statue was built in 1546, the Kindlifresserbrunnen, or child-eater statue, is said to depict the story of Kronos from Greek mythology, who eats his own children to keep them from taking his throne. There are other legends about the statue’s origins, but regardless of its meaning it remains successful at reminding local children to behave. We should have this statue here in Malaysia. :p

5~Spoonbridge & Cherry, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.  Spoonbridge and Cherry is one of the attractions in the Walker Art Center's Sculpture Garden in downtown Minneapolis. This artwork has been on display for 20 years and it is one of Minneapolis landmarks today.

6~Sculpture of Baby, Derbyshire, UK. This is a giant sculpture of a seven-month-old baby by artist Marc Quinn entitled ‘Planet’ at Chatsworth House. Wait....why 7 months? And why it is called Planet? Beats me...

7~Magic Tap, Tenerife, Canary Island, Spain. I love this monument very much. This Magic Tap, which appears to float in the sky with an endless supply of water. In actuality, there is a pipe hidden in the stream of water. Ha :D I have seen its mini reincarnation in malls.

8~Charles la Trobe Monument, Melbourne, Australia. You will encounter the upside-down Monument to La Trobe in Melbourne. No it is not you are drunk. It is upside down. This contemporary monument to Charles La Trobe in central Melbourne was removed at the end of June 2006 and has been acquired by La Trobe University. The monument is quite ordinary, but the fact it stands on its head makes it unique. Why it stands on its head? Besides...its balancing is really good.

9~Manneken Pis, Brussels, Belgium. The statue of a little naked boy urinating into a fountain, the Manneken Pis, is arguably the most well-known landmark in Brussels. The statue, built in the early 1600s, is thought by some to honor a young ruler who was known for urinating on troops. Others believe it commemorates a missing young boy who was found while peeing in the street, while a third legend refers to a small boy who saved the city from peril by putting out a fire with his good aim. I believe it should be the third one?

10~Fountain of Virtues, Nuremberg, Germany. Another exquisite monument in Germany huh! In 1589, the iron caster, Benedikt Wurzelbauer, completed the Fountain of the Virtues (Tugendbrunnen), commissioned by the City Council of the Free City of the Empire who had intended to demonstrate their stature in the world. But what does stature has to do with water pouring out of their...breast? A tad sexist don't you think? :/

11~Monument of Le Tour de France, France. On the highway between Tarbes and Pau at a resting place called l’Aire des Pyrénées you can find this very unique monument about the Tour de France named 'Le Tour de France dans les Pyrénées'. This 18m (59 feet) high monument, made of alumina and steel, was realized in 1995. Did you notice the last rider was painted in Yellow? Yes! It signifies the champion who don the yellow jersey. :)

12~Traffic Light Tree, London, UK. This so-called weird "tree" was designed by Pierre Vivant. It has has a whopping 75 sets of traffic lights. The sculpture was created to mimic a tree on one side and reflect the energy of the developing Canary Wharf area on another. Red or green? Now you will be confused right? :p

13~Headington Shark, Oxford, UK. The Headington Shark, situated in Headington, Oxfordshire in the United Kingdom, is a 25-foot shark that looks as if  it has crashed into the roof of a house. Bill Heine, the owner of the house designed the shark in remembrance of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki. Why would he wanna create the shark to remind everyone of the atomic bomb? Hmm...

14~The Thumb, Paris, France. “Le pouce” (the thumb), is an artistic creation by the renowned French sculptor César Baldaccini. This huge thumb here was designed in 1965, and it weighs 18 tonnes and is 12-meter (39 feet)high. Thumb up?

I believe there are dozens of other weird monuments you have seen right? Amongst the 14 shown here...which is your favourite...wait..let me rephrase it...which is the weirdest of them all? I believe my pick would be the Ogre devouring his own children. A very good statue you know, to make children behave well. That's all from me today. I hope you enjoy these 14 weird monuments from around the world. :)