One of the great icons of Japan, this monumental outdoor bronze statue sits serenely in the grounds of the Buddhist temple Kotokuin. Measuring 13.35 metres high, it was cast in the year 1252 and was originally housed in a temple. A huge tsunami washed away the building in the 15th century, and the spectacular Buddha has sat out in the elements ever since.

Yorkshire cricketing legend Dickie Bird OBE unveiled this life-sized bronze statue of himself back in 2009.  Created by acclaimed Barnsley sculptor Graham Ibbeson, it has become a much-loved icon in the region. Even Prince Charles paid it a special visit back in January 2012...

This world-famous icon, on the Washington Mall, is sculpted out of white Georgia marble, rising 30ft from the floor. The Lincoln Memorial is big business for the city - it attracts more than 3.5 million visitors a year.

Brussels' most famous icon, this bronze boy has been 'peeing' in the city since 1619. The figure is so famous that it has been repeatedly stolen, so numerous copies have had to be made as replacements. The statue is the subject of Belgian legends: one tells of a young boy who was awoken by a fire and managed to extinguish it with his urine, saving the king's castle from burning down. Another says that the statue pays tribute to a young boy who went missing and was eventually found urinating on a street corner..

The little mermaid has sat on her boulder since 1913, and has now become one of the icons of the city of Copenhagen. She was sculpted by a founder of Carlsberg Breweries, who was obsessed with Hans Christian Andersen's classic story The Little Mermaid. At less than five feet tall, many tourists who come to visit it express their disappointment at how small she is...

Built to commemorate Admiral Horatio Nelson, who died in the Battle of Trafalgar, London's famous monument was built in 1843. When it was refurbished in 2006, it was discovered that it was 4.4 metres shorter than previously supposed. From top to base, it measures 51.59 metres, which is still pretty tall...

Standing on the top of the Corcovado Mountain, the religious monument of Cristo Redentor is one of the tallest statues the world, measuring 38 metres. In 2002 a panoramic elevator and motorised staircase was added to help the millions of tourists who flock here every year.

This marble sculpture, believed to depict the Greek goddess Aphrodite of Milos, the Greek goddess of love and beauty, was created sometime between 130 and 100 BC. She is on permanent display at the Louvre museum.

Michaelangelo's David measures almost 4.5 metres high, and is celebrated as one of the greatest masterpieces of the Renaissance. The Florentines called the sculpture the Giant, and it was considered the most explicit example of the New Republic, representing, strength, power and vitality.