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For centuries, statues have been erected to honor those who made significant contributions, to commemorate important events, and at times, to serve as a sobering reminder that death is an inevitable fate for us all. And in some cases, these statues will make you question if eternal damnation might indeed be a reality—especially after encountering some of these unsettling works.
10. Blucifer
Blucifer is a frightening sight, and its impact is amplified by its eerie location just outside Denver International Airport. While ‘Blucifer’ is not its official name, it’s one of the more popular nicknames that locals have given it. Others include the Blue Stallion of Death and Satan's Steed. The official name is Blue Mustang, but it’s clear why it’s been associated with such sinister titles. This rearing, snorting horse is anatomically correct, in theory. But with its menacing red eyes, it undeniably gives off the vibe of being Satan’s Steed.
Unsurprisingly, many Denver residents despise it. Its creation was even more unfortunate for its sculptor, artist Luis Jimenez. While working on the nearly 10-meter-tall (32 ft), 4,100-kilogram (9,000 lb) statue, Jimenez tragically lost his life when a piece of the sculpture fell on him, severing an artery in his leg.
As if the tragic history of the horse wasn't enough, conspiracy theorists have also pointed to the statue as a glaring indication of what they believe Denver International Airport truly is: a covert military base poised to launch the revolution. When the airport’s construction exceeded its budget and was delayed for several years, rumors spread that the extra time and funds were used to create a vast underground bunker and military facility designed to serve as a government refuge after the world’s collapse. To these theorists, the horse represents one of the horses of the apocalypse as described in the Book of Revelation.
9. San Jose’s Quetzalcoatl
Quetzalcoatl, an ancient Aztec deity, is a combination of serpent and feathered, fiery dragon. He occupies the highest rank in the pantheon for a good reason, radiating an aura of grandeur. It seems like the kind of figure artists could only dream of being commissioned to create, especially on the monumental scale that was authorized in San Jose, California.
In 1992, sculptor Robert Graham was tasked with creating a statue that would not only serve as a key artistic feature for the city but also pay tribute to both the Hispanic families who had made the city their home and the earlier settlers who had lived on the land. And so, Quetzalcoatl was chosen.
It’s unclear whether Graham became overly ambitious or simply lost motivation after receiving the hefty $500,000 from the city. Originally, he envisioned a massive bronze statue, but over time, the concept morphed into something different. While the city's art council signed off on the new design, he didn’t consult with others. Having dealt with dissatisfied clients in the past, he kept his plans tightly under wraps until the official unveiling.
As soon as the statue was revealed, people began placing their small dogs on top of it, resulting in some entirely predictable but still undeniably funny photos.
Once the novelty wore off, people realized they were stuck with a statue that offended on multiple levels. Some felt it was a reminder of a darker part of their history, as Quetzalcoatl was believed to have taught the gruesome art of removing a heart from a living sacrifice. Others were convinced that he wouldn't appreciate being depicted in such a degrading way, even if it was on a pedestal.
A massive crowd gathered in protest of the statue, turning the unveiling into yet another disaster in San Jose’s ongoing civic fiasco. This was the second failed attempt to create a cultural landmark in the city. The first was the unveiling of a statue of a 19th-century military leader who had captured San Jose and taken control from Mexico.
8. Prague’s Faceless Babies
Prague is a strange city, home to the Zizkov Tower, a 216-meter (708 ft) monstrosity that holds the title of the tallest building in the country. It has earned one of the 'Best In' awards, but it’s also been labeled the second-ugliest building in the nation.
Instead of just accepting the 'ugly building' reputation, the city tried to make the tower more appealing and somewhat more culturally acceptable. In Prague, this means adding artwork that could easily fuel countless nightmares.
In 2000, ten giant, faceless babies were installed around the tower, crawling up and down its structure. These unsettling figures are the creations of David Cerny, one of the city’s most controversial artists. The massive fiberglass babies have even begun invading Kampa Park.
In Kampa Park, three more babies sit ominously, and they may be even more terrifying (if that’s even possible). Made of bronze instead of fiberglass, these tiny figures show that the babies aren’t entirely faceless, but their heads are bizarrely misshapen, like odd vortexes or pizza-dough deformities. Have their faces been lost or sucked inside-out? We’d prefer not to know.
7. The Virgin Mother And Verity
Damien Hirst is known for being one of the more controversial artists out there. (We've previously discussed his thoughts on the distinction between stealing from someone and paying tribute to them.) But that's not the only reason he stirs up strong reactions. His statues of the Virgin Mother and Verity leave no choice for passers-by but to see them.
Both Verity and the Virgin Mother are enormous and pregnant. You can clearly tell because they've been partially flayed to expose everything inside, from their muscles to the unborn fetus. And did we mention their size? The Virgin Mother towers at 10 meters (33 ft) tall and weighs 13 tons. In 2014, she was bought by a Manhattan real estate mogul, whose neighbors immediately waged war against him.
Verity, created with a similar 'flayed pregnant woman' motif, is even larger. Standing more than 20 meters (66 ft) tall, she holds a sword over her head while gazing out over North Devon. According to Hirst, she's on a long-term loan to the English seaside town, but some locals are understandably less than thrilled. While some see it as a brilliant tourist attraction, others find it a little too 'Hannibal Lecter-ish.'
Verity was placed on the harbor as part of a 20-year loan program. But it wasn’t all out of the artist's generosity. Hirst has a home nearby and owns a restaurant overlooking the monstrous statue. The restaurant has been regularly full ever since.
6. The Headless Monument
Outside the post office in Legazpi City, Philippines, stands a rather unsettling sight: a monument featuring a kneeling, headless figure, its posture suggesting the blade fell just moments earlier. The statue raises far more questions than it answers.
One of the more widely accepted stories is that the statue honors local Bicolano war heroes who perished during World War II. The Bicolano people are no strangers to conflict. There's another statue, a far less eerie one, in Naga City that commemorates Bicolano martyrs whose executions galvanized local support for the Philippine Revolution.
Local legend tells that on November 22, 1945, laborers unearthed a headless body in the sand of Sabang’s Albay Gulf. It appeared that the man had only recently died, as his uniform was still pristine. His head, however, was missing. A benefactor from one of the city’s colleges wanted to immortalize the man’s memory, commissioning the statue after the body was paraded through town for public display.
How true that is, we can’t be certain. No records remain to trace the history of the headless body or the creation of the statue, though many claim to remember the events. Local historians are just as clueless about the real story, and even the country’s National Historical Institute has no answers.
5. The Cloak Of Conscience
The Cloak of Conscience is both unsettling and strangely captivating. It appears in various forms throughout the work of artist Anna Chromy and across Europe. The cloaked figure, eyes lowered and shoulders hunched, first emerged in the background of a painting Chromy created in 1980. Back then, it wasn’t meant to represent a real person, but rather an empty shell—a tattered cloak that symbolized what was left of an old woman.
The theme reappeared when Anna Chromy ventured into sculpture. This time, it manifested as an empty coat, meant to symbolize the journey of life that we all tread—a path shaped by our own conscience. The response was overwhelming, prompting her to create a version in the form of an empty cloak. She had previously made several smaller installations of empty cloak sculptures before moving on to the creation of the Archi-Sculpture.
The marble used for the sculpture also carries a fascinating history. It comes from the same quarry that supplied marble for Michelangelo’s masterpieces. This quarry is the only one in the world still capable of producing such a massive piece of marble, with the one needed for Chromy’s striking, empty sculpture weighing in at 200 tons. The sheer size of the stone meant much of the initial carving took place directly at the quarry.
Smaller versions of the cloak sculpture have been installed in multiple locations across Europe, from Rome and Monaco to Prague.
4. Wickham’s Headless Statue Park
Along a quiet road in rural Palmyra, Tennessee, stands a peculiar collection of statues. They weren’t always as eerie as they appear today, nor were they intended to have such a dark aura. After the death of their creator, Enoch Tanner Wickham, the statues were left to succumb to both the harsh Tennessee weather and vandalism along the backcountry roads. These statues were meticulously crafted over two decades by a retired tobacco farmer who finally had the time to indulge in his passion for art and sculpture.
The statues depict various figures: birds, oxen, men on horseback, and groups of people. Among them are notable figures like Tecumseh, Andrew Jackson, and even a bull standing beside Daniel Boone and Sitting Bull. However, after Wickham's death in 1970, the statues began to deteriorate, transforming into something that could easily be mistaken for a horror movie set in the rural Deep South.
None of the statues have retained their heads, and many are missing limbs as well. They bear numerous bullet holes, have been struck and run over by trucks, with pieces shattered and knocked off their pedestals. The pedestals, once etched with names and short verses celebrating their historical significance, are now just as defaced.
The outcome is not only eerie but also heartbreaking. Efforts have been made to preserve some of the statues, with a few relocated and shielded behind wire fences. It's a tragic end to the work of a man who sculpted purely out of passion, a man who once had a senator attend the unveiling of his World War II monument dedicated to his son, who had sacrificed his life in the war.
3. Wang Saen Suk: Buddhist Hell
Buddhist beliefs are widely recognized for their views on reincarnation, offering the possibility of a second chance at life. However, what’s less appealing is the concept of a waiting period before getting a new body. When a person passes away, their actions are weighed to determine their fate. If their bad deeds outweigh the good, their soul is condemned to Hell to atone for those sins before they can be reincarnated. A particularly sinful soul might spend thousands of lifetimes suffering in Buddhist Hell. If you're curious about what Naraka, the Buddhist Hell, looks like, a visit to Wang Saen Suk will give you a glimpse.
Upon entering the park, visitors are greeted by two statues of a male and female preta, both horrific figures that embody eternal hunger and thirst. Preta, or spirits in Buddhist cosmology, have various forms of suffering depending on their sins. Some preta can only consume vomit, pus, or even moths, while others endure the agony of a throat so narrow it feels as though they're choking, unable to eat, drink, or breathe. There are also massive preta, forever weeping or burning, and some that endlessly float in the wind.
The entire park is filled with statues that vividly portray the consequences of deviating from the path of righteousness. Men are depicted being sawed in half or crushed in a vice, while others wander, bleeding from weapons lodged in their bodies. Animal-headed figures are beaten, and birds feast on the entrails of those who scream in torment.
For the most grievous offenders, there’s a particularly sinister area reserved for those who have physically harmed their parents or a monk. These sinners are condemned to a special pit in Hell, where they will remain until the birth of the new Buddha.
2. Saint Wenceslas On A Horse
Saint Wenceslas, the patron saint of the Czech Republic, is depicted in a more traditional statue at the top of Wenceslas Square in Prague, where he rides a perfectly normal horse. This contrasts greatly with the work of David Cerny, the same artist behind the unsettling crawling babies. Cerny’s version of Saint Wenceslas, however, features him mounted on a dead horse—suspended upside down by its hooves. The horse is lifeless, with its head dangling and tongue hanging out. This surreal installation at the opposite end of Wenceslas Square created a stark contrast to the majestic statue of the saint on his steed, and it wasn't hard to spot the face of the statue resembling that of then-president Vaclav Klaus, a detail that didn’t escape public notice.
David Cerny’s Saint Wenceslas isn’t just an ordinary equestrian statue; it features the saint seated atop a horse that has been strung up by its feet, rendered lifeless with a limp body and a protruding tongue. Installed at the opposite end of Wenceslas Square, the shocking contrast to the more dignified statue of the saint created an unsettling visual. Moreover, the face of the statue bore an uncanny resemblance to the Czech president Vaclav Klaus, which certainly drew attention and sparked conversation.
The portrayal of Saint Wenceslas is not merely provocative but has also been seen as revolutionary. The more traditional statue of the saint on horseback, located at the other end of the square, has always been a significant gathering spot for Prague’s residents. It has been the scene of celebrations, as well as a place of solidarity in times of crisis. Its inscription offers a reminder of strength and resilience, making the version with the grotesque, dead horse even more unsettling in contrast.
Saint Wenceslas is also the subject of an intriguing piece of folklore. Similar to Britain’s King Arthur, it is said that Wenceslas and his knights lie in wait, sleeping until the moment their country calls upon them, when they will once again ride to the nation’s aid.
1. Neb-Sanu, The Moving Statue
Housed in a glass case at the Manchester Museum, the ancient Egyptian statue of Neb-Sanu initially appears to be just another typical Egyptian figure. Measuring only 25 centimeters (10 inches) in height, its oddities became apparent when it began to move inside the locked display case.
For a time, no one directly observed the statue’s movement. However, museum curators noticed that it would shift positions randomly throughout the day. This unusual behavior prompted them to set up a camera to monitor it, and the resulting time-lapse footage confirmed that the statue did, indeed, move on its own throughout the day.
The statue, estimated to be around 4,000 years old, was originally created as an offering to Osiris. For nearly 80 years, it resided in the museum without raising any suspicion, but that changed when strange occurrences began to emerge. Some speculated that the statue was a vessel for the spirit of the man it depicted, while others theorized that it rotated 180 degrees in an attempt to display an inscription on its back, which detailed instructions for a sacrificial offering of bread, beer, oxen, and fowl.
The real cause behind the statue’s mysterious movement, however, turned out to be far less exciting. Renowned physicist Brian Cox analyzed the phenomenon and suggested that the statue’s slow rotation was the result of tiny vibrations that created uneven friction between the glass shelf and the statue, causing it to turn by itself.
