'Statue of Unity' in Time magazine’s World’s Greatest Places 2019 list
Ahmedabad : A grand statue of Indian statesman Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel has found a spot in Time magazine’s World’s Greatest Places 2019 list that presents destinations parks, restaurants, hotels and museums that tourists are likely to find prodigious and extraordinary.
Each place mentioned in the list is evaluated based on certain criteria, like originality, quality, sustainability, innovation and influence, according to the magazine.
Learning about the news, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his happiness and gratitude for making the place popular tourist spot.
Excellent news vis-à-vis the ‘Statue of Unity’- it finds a spot in the @TIME 100 greatest places 2019 list.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 28, 2019
And, a few days back, a record 34,000 people visited the site in a single day.
Glad that it is emerging as a popular tourist spot!https://t.co/zLSNmwCKyc pic.twitter.com/7xmjWCz9xo
What is 'Statue of Unity'?
Overlooking the Narmada river in the state of Gujarat, the statue of Vallabhbhai Patel has been designed by Indian sculptor Ram V Sutar. It was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi on the occasion of 143rd birth anniversary of Vallabhbhai Patel in October 2018.
The statue has been made at an staggering cost of Rs 2,989 crore (US$420 million).
It also happens to be the world's tallest statue. Before this the Spring Temple Buddha in China’s Henan province had the record on its name. The Buddha stands at 153 metres (502 ft).
Other remarkable places that were featured in Time’s list include: The National Museum of Qatar, Canada’s Wonderland in Toronto, National Comedy Center Jamestown, New York, traditional Chinese theatre Xiqu Centre in Hong Kong, and the Helsinki Central Library Oodi, to name a few.
