Where is Monolithic Buddha Statue located?

Monolithic Buddha Statue is located in Hussain Sagar / Lumbini Park, Telangana, India (Coordinates: 17.4156° N, 78.4750° E). You can view its exact pin and walking routes on the Deccan Heritage Map.

When was Monolithic Buddha Statue built and what era does it belong to?

Monolithic Buddha Statue was built around 1992 during the Post-Independence period (State protected).

How can I visit or explore Monolithic Buddha Statue?

Access is listed as ticketed. You can explore Monolithic Buddha Statue along with historical photos, stories, and connected heritage monuments on the interactive Deccan Heritage Map at https://heritage.mapmyhyd.com/?site=buddha-statue-hussain-sagar.

Post-Independence→Civic building→ Hussain Sagar / Lumbini Park

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Monolithic Buddha Statue

Also known as: Hussain Sagar Buddha, Gibraltar Rock Buddha, Hyderabad Buddha Monolith

Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA

Built

1992

Status

State protected

Access

ticketed

Area

Hussain Sagar / Lumbini Park

Standing 18 metres (58 feet) tall and weighing 450 tonnes, this colossal white granite monolith was carved from a single boulder and stands majestically on Gibraltar Rock in the center of the 16th-century Hussain Sagar lake.

History & Story

Conceived in 1985 by Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao after being inspired by the Statue of Liberty in New York, the Monolithic Buddha was designed to symbolize peace, harmony, and the Deccan's deep ancient Buddhist heritage.

Over 200 sculptors led by temple architect S.M. Ganapathi Sthapati worked for five years near Nalgonda to carve the 450-tonne monolithic sculpture from a single massive white granite quarry face. Transporting the 58-foot colossus across 60 km required a mammoth trailer with 192 wheels.

Tragedy struck in March 1990 when the trailer tipped into the waters of Hussain Sagar during the installation onto Gibraltar Rock, sinking the statue to the lake bed. After a dramatic two-year salvage operation, the unbroken monolith was successfully raised, restored, and consecrated in December 1992 by the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso. Today, surrounded by illuminated musical fountains and accessible via ferries from Lumbini Park, the Buddha is one of Hyderabad's most recognizable skyline symbols.