TIME magazine recently unveiled its second list of World’s Greatest Places featuring a plethora of categories, such as museums, parks, restaurants, and hotels. Towering at 597-feet, Gujarat’s Statue of Unity has also secured a spot in this list! By Bayar Jain
Built in honour of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the 597-feet tall Statue of Unity in Gujarat has been included in the TIME Magazine’s second annual list of the world’s greatest places. The statue was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 31st, 2018 and has often been touted as the defining moment of India’s unity. An adjoining Wall of Unity is meant to reassert this claim.
This homage to the Iron Man of India and the country’s first Deputy Prime Minister is built on the Sadhu Bet islet near the Sardar Sarovar Dam in the Narmada district. This towering structure is twice the height of United States of America’s Statue of Liberty, making it a major tourist attraction. According to some reports, 2.06 million people have visited the statue till date!
Speaking about the process of evaluation, a report by the TIME magazine says a team of editors, correspondents, and industry experts solicited nominations across various categories. Once shortlisted, each nomination was then evaluated on the basis of quality, originality, sustainability, innovation and influence.
Interestingly, Mumbai’s Soho House also features in this list. Located in an 11-storey building, the Soho House overlooks the calm Arabian sea. This first Asian Soho House houses a library, a 34-seated cinema, rooftop bar and pool, a restaurant, and 38 rooms to choose from. Rajasthani block print fabrics, South Asian artworks, and environmentally sustainable cane furniture adds to the vintage vibe of the building.
The TIME list also includes Egypt’s Red Sea Mountain Trail, Iceland’s Geosea Geothermal Sea Baths, Dubai’s Quranic Park, New York City’s The Shed, Namibia’s Omaanda, Kenya’s Leopard Hill, China’s Rosewood, Canada’s Central Library and a lot more!
Related: The Statue Of Liberty Takes A Step To Reduce Over-Tourism