We all know that statues can bring good luck. Just go to any city around the world that draws in tourism, and you will find statues that require you to touch, kiss, or interact with them in some way. Some have an old legend attached to them, and others do not. In fact, it can be easy to spot where the good luck body part is as that part might be a different color or it might be starting to erode.
Some of these old legends are rather PG and just require the touching of a foot or head. For example, in some cities, it will just be a discolored hand or mustache that brings all the tourists. However, other statues have tourists getting a bit more personal. These 10 statues from all over the world are ones that people like to touch in inappropriate places.
10Crazy Girls
Las Vegas
Photo credit: las-vegas-tips.blogspot.com
This one is not so surprising, is it? Las Vegas has been nicknamed Sin City after all. So it’s rather fitting that there’s at least one statue that commands some caressing for good luck.
The Crazy Girls statue is a row of women standing arm in arm with their backs facing the crowd. Their rear ends are out there for everyone to see and interact with. Upon visiting the site, it is quite clear that people enjoy touching the girls’ backsides. They are a bit of a different color than the rest of their bodies.
The Crazy Girls was actually a live show that ran for 28 years out of Riviera Hotel and Casino. The property closed in 2015, and the statue has been moved to Planet Hollywood.
It has long been a favorite among tourists. They grab the girls’ rear ends and take photos with the statue. The show can still be seen as well. Now it performs at the Sin City Theater every night except Tuesday.[1]
9Victor Noir
Paris
Photo credit: atlasobscura.com
This is a statue of a man in a graveyard. So in addition to paying their respects, people like to have a little fun.
Victor Noir was a political journalist who was shot in 1870 by Prince Pierre Bonaparte. Noir was seen as a martyr after this, and thus, over 100,000 people attended his funeral. At the end of the second century, his body was moved to Pere Lachaise Cemetery and a statue was erected in his honor.
The statue shows him lying on the ground and features somewhat of a bulge in his pants. It is believed that if you rub the bulge, it will prevent infertility. So women have been flocking to this graveyard to do just that. You can definitely tell that it’s quite popular as that region is just a tad discolored when compared to the rest of his body.[2]
8The Charging Bull
New York City
Photo credit: atlasobscura.com
This statue weighs a whopping 3,200 kilograms (7,100 lb). It first arrived in New York City in December 1989 as part of a Christmas display. When it was taken away, residents complained. So it was brought back and put in the financial district.
The idea is that rubbing the testicles of this rather large animal statue will bring you good luck. As this has become quite the popular activity among tourists, that part of the body is a distinctly different color.
Many think that the bull symbolizes the prosperity of Wall Street and success. However, the artist had intended for it to symbolize American strength and prosperity.[3]
His idea was that in a place like New York, people from all over the world move there and find success. Either way, you can always find lots of people lining up to rub the statue’s testicles for good luck.
7Dolly Parton
Sevierville, Tennessee
Photo credit: roadsideamerica.com
Right in front of the Sevier County Courthouse in Tennessee, you can find a statue of the famous country singer Dolly Parton. It’s of her sitting on a rock and playing her guitar.[4]
This part of Tennessee was her home, and the residents wanted to pay tribute to the famous singer. So they erected a statue in her honor. While it seems 100 percent tasteful, there’s a little twist.
Tourists stopping by like to have a little fun. Her left breast, while covered, is one that some people like to grab when paying the statue a visit. It is thought to bring good luck in love and relationships.
6Molly Malone
Dublin
Photo credit: graftonstreet.ie
When you hear the name Molly Malone, you think of Ireland. In the capital city of Dublin, you can find a statue of this lovely lady on Suffolk Street. It has been moved from its normal location on Grafton Street due to some construction in the city. That small change in location, however, has not deterred tourists from stopping to see the lovely statue in all her glory.
Upon first glance, it is obvious that people have a fascination with her breasts. When visiting, it would be hard not to look at them as they are quite a noticeable feature. In fact, they are a different shade of bronze than the rest of the statue due to all the contact that they have had over the years.[5]
Some think that she was a prostitute. Others believe that she caught fish. Either way, she is a tourist favorite. However, there does not seem to be much evidence about her breasts bringing good luck. Instead, people seem to touch her breasts because they are quite noticeable and they are there.
5The Adam Statue
New York City
Photo credit: apartments.com
This statue is actually located inside a shopping center in one of America’s largest cities. On the ground floor of the Shops at Columbus Circle, you will find two rather large statues of Adam and Eve.
Standing 3.7 meters (12 ft) tall, they have become quite the attraction. However, the Adam statue arguably gets more attention than the Eve statue. If you look between its legs, you will see why.[6]
People love to come by and touch his private parts. In fact, they have been touched so many times that they have turned to gold. There seems to be no good luck legend associated with this little touch. People seem to do it because it’s there.
4Wife Of Yu The Great
Wuhan, China
Photo credit: shanghaiist.com
The statue of the wife of Yu the Great stands holding hands with a statue of her husband and his matchmaker. Yu the Great was the founder of China’s first dynasty in the year 2070 BC.
One of his wife’s breasts is exposed, and you can tell. Like many of the other statues listed, people seem to enjoy interacting with this part of the Chinese statue when they pass by.[7]
Officials are now starting to complain that tourists have been damaging the statue. This area is now worn down and discolored. Government authorities feel that the behavior is disrespectful to their culture. However, they do not believe that this behavior will change anytime soon.
3Juliet
Munich
Photo credit: tripadvisor.com
In this lovely Bavarian town, you can also find a lovely female statue right in the center of the city. This statue is named Juliet after the character in the famous love story Romeo and Juliet.
The Juliet in Munich[8] had a twin in Italy. In fact, this one was given to the city of Munich from Verona, Italy. The Juliet in Verona was famous because of one of her breasts. Tourists loved to come by and touch it.
However, with the Juliet statue in Munich, you’re supposed to place flowers in her hand. Yet it’s easy to tell from her discolored breast that people enjoy touching it as well.
The one in Verona, however, has been taken down because of how much damage occurred from all the touching.
2Andras Hadik
Budapest
Photo credit: tripadvisor.com
Andras Hadik was a famous Hungarian hussar. This simply means that he was part of one of the most famous Hungarian army units and that he was quite a remarkable soldier. In fact, he had the highest rank in the army in Austria-Hungary during the Seven Years’ War. In 1937, they decided to erect a statue in his honor.[9]
You can find this statue right outside the famous Matthias Church, which sits atop a hill overlooking the city of Budapest. This statue is of Andras Hadik riding a horse and is supposed to symbolize bravery and courage in battle.
However the horse, much like the Wall Street bull, has some noticeable testicles. So much so that people just have to touch them when they pay a visit to the statue. Apparently, students from the Technical University believe that touching the testicles brings them good luck on their exams.
However, city officials do not like this behavior and have issued a code of ethics to protect monuments. In their eyes, this behavior is disrespectful to their culture.
1Haesindang Park
Samcheok City, South Korea
Photo credit: Amanderson
This last one is a park full of statues of male genitalia. Unlike the more historical statues that you may feel guilty about caressing, this park is completely guilt-free. In fact, people are meant to interact with the exhibits.
This park came from an old legend. There was a virgin who was supposed to get married to her lover. However, a large tide in the sea killed the woman. Afterward, all the fishers in the village were unable to catch any fish. They believed that they were cursed because of this.
One day, one of the fishermen urinated in the sea and the fish returned. The fishermen were able to catch fish again! So the men believed that this was good luck and erected statues of male genitalia along the shore.
Now there is an entire park where you can sit on, touch, and interact with these statues. It has become a favorite with both Koreans and tourists. The statues are made of stone and wood. Some even have faces, and some are meant to be benches.[10]
By: Mahmoud Alomda
