Monument · Leshan, China
Leshan Giant Buddha
The Leshan Giant Buddha is a 71-meter (233 ft) tall stone statue, built between 712 and 804 AD (during the Tang dynasty). Built 803.
Photo: xiquinhosilva via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Leshan, China |
|---|---|
| Type | Monument |
| Built | 803 |
| Height | Height: 71 m |
| Coordinates | 29.5447° N, 103.7733° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Leshan Giant Buddha is known for
The Leshan Giant Buddha is a 71-meter (233 ft) tall stone statue, built between 712 and 804 AD (during the Tang dynasty).
About Leshan Giant Buddha
The Leshan Giant Buddha is a 71-meter (233 ft) tall stone statue, built between 712 and 804 AD (during the Tang dynasty). It is carved out of a cliff face of Cretaceous red bed sandstones that lies at the confluence of the Min River and Dadu River in the southern part of Sichuan Province in China, near the city of Leshan. The stone sculpture faces Mount Emei, with the rivers flowing below its feet.
History
Construction started in 722 AD, led by a Chinese Buddhist monk named Hai Tong. He believed that Maitreya Buddha would calm the turbulent waters that constantly plagued the shipping vessels traveling down the river. When funding for the project was threatened, he is said to have gouged out his own eyes to show his piety and sincerity.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Leshan |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU) |
| Distance from the airport | 72.4 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Chengdu Tianfu International Airport (TFU) · Chengdu (Jianyang), China · 66.4 miles away
- Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU) · Chengdu (Shuangliu), China · 70.8 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in China
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Frequently asked questions
What is Leshan Giant Buddha?
The Leshan Giant Buddha is a 71-meter (233 ft) tall stone statue, built between 712 and 804 AD (during the Tang dynasty).
Where is Leshan Giant Buddha located?
Leshan Giant Buddha is in Leshan, China. Its coordinates are 29.5447° N, 103.7733° E.
How do I get to Leshan Giant Buddha?
The nearest town is Leshan, and the nearest airport is Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU), about 72.4 miles away (straight line).
When was Leshan Giant Buddha built?
Leshan Giant Buddha was built 803.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leshan_Giant_Buddha — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q205131 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.