After more than three years of construction, the world’s largest statue is on track for an October 2018 opening. The massive Statue of Unity in India is set to tower an extraordinary 600 feet (183 m), almost double the height of the Statue of Liberty.

This massive engineering feat is set to exceed the current record for the world’s tallest statue, held by the Spring Temple Buddha in China, which stands at just over 500 feet (153 m) – although, some do argue the Spring Buddha actually stands to a height of over 680 feet (208 m) if the multiple pedestals it stands on are included.

The Statue of Unity is designed to be a large memorial for Vallabhbhai “Sardar” Patel, one of the primary figures of India’s independence movement in the early 20th century, and often referred to as the “Iron Man of India.”

The remarkable project is being built in the Indian state of Gujarat, facing the Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada River. The statue is constructed on a river island that will be connected to the mainland via a long bridge. Inside the statue will be a visitor center and museum with a viewing deck built into the chest of the statue.

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