Monument · Hanga Roa, Chile
Moai of Easter Island
Moai or moꞌai are monolithic human figures carved from stone by the Rapa Nui people, on Rapa Nui (Easter Island) in eastern Polynesia between the years 1250 and 1500.
Photo: Ian Sewell via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Hanga Roa, Chile |
|---|---|
| Type | Monument |
| Coordinates | 27.1142° S, 109.3640° W |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Moai of Easter Island is known for
Moai or moꞌai are monolithic human figures carved from stone by the Rapa Nui people, on Rapa Nui (Easter Island) in eastern Polynesia between the years 1250 and 1500.
About Moai of Easter Island
Moai or moꞌai are monolithic human figures carved from stone by the Rapa Nui people, on Rapa Nui (Easter Island) in eastern Polynesia between the years 1250 and 1500. Nearly half are still at Rano Raraku, the main moai quarry, but hundreds were transported from there and set on stone platforms called ahu around the island's perimeter. Almost all moai have overly large heads, which account for three-eighths of the size of the whole statue.
History
The statues were carved by the aboriginal Polynesians of the island, mostly between 1250 and 1500. In addition to representing deceased ancestors, the moai, once they were erected on ahu (stone platforms), may also have been regarded as the embodiment of powerful living or former chiefs and important lineage status symbols. Each moai presented a status: "The larger the statue placed upon an ahu, the more mana the chief who commissioned it had." The competition for grandest statue was ever prevalent in the culture of the Easter Islanders.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Hanga Roa |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Mataveri Airport (IPC) |
| Distance from the airport | 0.2 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.
- Mataveri International Airport (IPC) · Isla De Pascua, Chile · 5.0 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Chile
More monuments
Frequently asked questions
What is Moai of Easter Island?
Moai or moꞌai are monolithic human figures carved from stone by the Rapa Nui people, on Rapa Nui (Easter Island) in eastern Polynesia between the years 1250 and 1500.
Where is Moai of Easter Island located?
Moai of Easter Island is in Hanga Roa, Chile. Its coordinates are 27.1142° S, 109.3640° W.
How do I get to Moai of Easter Island?
The nearest town is Hanga Roa, and the nearest airport is Mataveri Airport (IPC), about 0.2 miles away (straight line).
What is the history of Moai of Easter Island?
The statues were carved by the aboriginal Polynesians of the island, mostly between 1250 and 1500. In addition to representing deceased ancestors, the moai, once they were erected on ahu (stone platforms), may also have been regarded as the embodiment of powerful living or former chiefs and important lineage status symbols.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moai — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q20350 — 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.