Statue of Vulcan

Reminiscent of the Colossus of Rhodes (but at only half its supposed height), this 56-foot statue of Vulcan, the Roman god of fire, towers over Birmingham, Alabama.

It is the world’s largest cast metal statue and the largest statue ever made in the U.S. (The Statue of Liberty is larger but was cast in France.) The statue was originally made for an exhibit in the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. There was some controversy over his Roman nudity, however, so the statue was shipped around Alabama before finally being installed on Red Mountain, Alabama, where he stands today, his giant metal backside gleaming in the sun.