Top 10 Controversial Monuments from Around the World
#10: Che Guevara
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La Higuera, Bolivia The image of Ernesto “Che” Guevara means many different things to many different people. For some, he’s a revolutionary symbol for freedom, while to others, he represents callous and bloodthirsty murder. This is why a statue of Guevara, located in La Higuera, Bolivia, has become so controversial. This statue isn’t the only monument to Che in the world, but that hasn’t stopped some visitors from pointing out the brutality of Guevara’s actions during the Cuban Revolution of the 1950s. Although the intentions of Guevara’s monuments are likely to promote feelings of freedom and social justice, not everyone sees these intentions in the same light.
#9: Peter the Great Statue
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Moscow, Russia Question: do a monument’s physical aesthetics come into play when deciding its cultural worth? Some seem to think so, as the Peter the Great Statue in Moscow, Russia, has been labeled as “ugly” by many of its detractors. This is despite the fact that the monument is intended as a tribute to the Russian Navy, which was established, in part, by Peter. Additionally, historians have pointed out the statue’s odd location, given that the real Peter the Great was actually a great critic of Moscow as a city, and would’ve likely have preferred such a monument to be located in St. Petersburg. After all, the city does bear his name.
#8: The Brown Dog
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London, England The Brown Dog Statue in London may seem innocuous enough on the outside, but the real tale behind the monument is no laughing matter. The small terrier statue that stands today is actually a replacement for one that was destroyed in 1910. This occurred due to riots over the ethics of medical vivisection experiments on animals conducted at the University of London. The original Brown Dog Statue was also the scene of frequent clashes between animal rights activists and members of the medical community, with the monument becoming a frequent target of vandalism. Even today, there are calls for the original Brown Dog to be recast and erected alongside its successor.
#7: Monument of the African Resistance in Senegal
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Dakar, Senegal Conceptual ideas of National Monuments can bring with them feelings of patriotism and pride. However, the actual cost and execution of such monuments can become a sticking point, particularly if that country is experiencing a financial crisis. The Monument of the African Resistance in Senegal was erected in 2010, nearly five years after construction first began on this tribute to Senegal’s independence from French rule. Critics immediately protested the cost of the monument, however, calling out then-president Abdoulaye Wade and his government for mismanaging Senegalese funds. Furthermore, Wade claimed he was owed intellectual property profits from the statue, which held a price tag of over 27 million dollars.
#6: Memorial for the Victims of Nazi Military Justice
Vienna, Austria The controversy surrounding this next monument deals with a subject that is, itself, also quite controversial: military desertion. In the case of the Memorial for the Victims of Nazi Military Justice, however, this desertion seems somewhat justified, as it pays tribute to those who deserted Germany’s Wehrmacht during World War II. Defenders of the monument point to the decision of these executed victims as “an act of peace” against a Fascist regime, while still others point to the actual act of desertion as being a criminal offense. Ultimately, the controversy here with this monument may lie within the eye of the beholder.
#5: The Valley of the Fallen
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Madrid, Spain Francisco Franco is one of the most notorious dictators in history, yet this former Head of Spain still retains certain memorials to his name within the country’s borders. The Valley of the Fallen is one such monument, an area that is largely seen as a standing legacy of Franco’s rule, and a place where many of its supporters still seek to visit. This is despite Spain’s efforts to remove symbols of Francoism within the country’s architecture and infrastructure. The Valley of the Fallen’s historical use as a labor camp, as well as comparisons to Nazi concentration prisons, add to the area’s controversial reputation.
#4: Yasukuni Shinto Shrine
Tokyo, Japan Monuments to fallen military personnel can be found in countries around the world, but the Yasukuni Shinto Shrine in Tokyo, Japan, is a little different. This is due to the names of convicted war criminals that are inscribed within the Shrine, soldiers who fought during the First Indochina War, the two Sino-Japanese Wars, and the Boshin War. As a result, the Yasukuni Shinto Shrine has been the subject of controversy, despite the fact that its intent is to honor any and all who died in service to their country. The country’s former Emperor, Hirohito, even stopped visiting the area, in protest of the inclusion of these aforementioned war criminals.
#3: Christopher Columbus
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Boston, Massachusetts The statue of Christopher Columbus in Boston, Massachusetts, isn’t the only monument to the Italian explorer located in the United States. However, the controversy associated with Columbus’ reputation has increased exponentially over the years, to the point where the Boston statue was actually defaced back in 2020. Protestors decapitated the statue on June 9th of that year due in large part to the overarching movement of social justice in the wake of George Floyd’s death. Similar criticisms have been launched over statues of James Cook in countries like Australia. Today, the Boston statue of Columbus has been removed, with a tentative new home to be located in the city’s North End.
#2: Stone Mountain
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Stone Mountain Park, Georgia Hey, did you know that there’s actually another relief, located within the United States, that features famous historical figures carved in its face? You know, besides Mount Rushmore? Actually, perhaps “infamous” historical figures might be a more apt description since Stone Mountain is seen by both critics and defenders as a tribute to the American Confederacy. This is due to the depictions of three Confederate leaders, Stonewall Jackson, Jefferson Davis, and Robert E. Lee, on the rock. Beyond this, Stone Mountain has also achieved infamy due to its association as a meeting place for the Ku Klux Klan, leading many to decry the area as being in need of renovation: I.E.: removal of the facing.
#1: Statue of Baphomet
Salem, Massachusetts To some, it’s a defiant bronze monument to free speech and free will. To others, it’s a blasphemous mockery of sacred and honored principles. One thing’s for sure, however: the Statue of Baphomet, just like The Fallen Angel near Madrid, certainly makes a statement. It was first unveiled in Detroit, Michigan, by that city’s chapter of The Satanic Temple. It later made headlines when chapters in Oklahoma and Arkansas utilized the statue to protest the inclusion of a Ten Commandments monument outside of those states’ capitals. Both events succeeded in raising the Temple’s public profile, even earning them a 2019 documentary, titled “Hail Satan?” Today, the statue sits in Salem, Massachusetts, a fitting place for sure a firebrand of controversy.
