© Shutterstock

De Vaartkapoen -

Inaugurated in 1985 in Brussels, the scene depicts a man emerging from a hole and pulling the feet from underneath a policeman. It’s by Belgian sculptor Tom Frantzen.

© Shutterstock

Device to Root out Evil -

This controversial church sculpture is by American artist Dennis Oppenheim, and it was initially supposed to be in New York. But it was seen as inappropriate and was installed in Calgary, Canada, until 2014. Now it's located in Mallorca, Spain.

© Shutterstock

Hand of the Desert -

This large-scale sculpture of a hand is located in the Atacama Desert in Chile. Inaugurated in 1992 by the Chilean sculptor Mario Irarrázabal, the impressive hand is 36 ft (11 m) high.

© Shutterstock

Babies -

A series of sculptures by Czech artist David Černý, they can be found on the island of Kampa in Prague. The creepy babies are made of bronze and have their faces replaced with bar codes.

© Shutterstock

Traffic Light Tree -

Created by the French sculptor Pierre Vivant, this public sculpture is located on a roundabout in London. Be careful not to mistake it for a real traffic light!

© Shutterstock

Cloud Gate -

Nicknamed 'the Bean,' this sculpture has since 2006 been a famous landmark for Chicago. Created by Indian-born British artist Anish Kapoor, the Bean reflects the city's skyline.

© Shutterstock

Engagement -

Also by American artist Dennis Oppenheim, this piece is of two engagement rings, representing how marriage requires a balance between two people. It was installed in 2005 in Vancouver, Canada.

© Shutterstock

The Headington Shark -

The Headington Shark is a rooftop sculpture located in Oxford, England. It was created in 1986 by sculptor John Buckley and caused a lot of controversy at the time with the local council. Today it's celebrated, and you can even rent the house on Airbnb.

© Shutterstock

Le Passe-Muraille -

This unusual sculpture is located in the Paris neighborhood of Montmartre. The man embedded in the wall is based on the short story 'The passer-through-walls' (1941) by French writer Marcel Aymé.

© Shutterstock

The Planet -

Also known as Floating Baby, this sculpture is located in a park in Singapore. Created by British sculptor Marc Quinn, the baby is a representation of his son. 

© Shutterstock

Statue of Franz Kafka -

This Franz Kafka statue was inaugurated by Czech artist Jaroslav Róna in 2003. Located in the Jewish quarter of Prague, the statue depicts Kafka riding on a headless figure, in reference to the short story 'Description of a Struggle' (1912).

© Shutterstock

Viaje Fantástico -

Located in Havana, Cuba, is this peculiar statue of a woman on a rooster with a big fork. Installed in 2012 by Cuban artist Roberto Fabelo, some believe that the statue is a tribute to the long history of prostitution in Havana.

© Shutterstock

Floralis Genérica -

Created in 2002 by Eduardo Catalano, this steel and aluminum sculpture is located in Buenos Aires, Argentina. What makes it so special is that the flower automatically opens and closes the petals depending on the time of the day.

© Shutterstock

Monument to the Unknown Bureaucrat -

Located in Reykjavik, Iceland, is this statue sculpted by Magnús Tómasson in 1994. With a big piece of volcanic basalt on the head and torso, it's unknown if this piece is a tribute to or a satire of civil servants.

© Shutterstock

Man Hanging Out -

This sculpture is actually of Sigmund Freud hanging over Prague. Created in 1996 by David Černý, the work is a statement about intellectualism in the 20th century, and Černý’s uncertainty about it.

© Shutterstock

Le Pouce -

Located in Paris is the statue of a thumb, symbolizing good luck. An unusual tourist attraction for the city, the piece was created in 1965 by artist César Baldaccini.

© Shutterstock

Charging Bull and Fearless Girl -

For years, Charging Bull (by Arturo Di Modica) was standing alone, depicting the fearlessness of Wall Street. That was until Fearless Girl (by Kristen Visbal) was installed in 2017. Fearless Girl was constructed to send a message of workplace gender inequality in male-dominated Wall Street.

© Shutterstock

Mustangs of Las Colinas Texas -

Installed in 1984, Mustangs of Las Colinas Texas is a bronze sculpture in Irving, Texas, by Robert Glen. It portrays a group of nine wild mustang horses running through a watercourse.

© Shutterstock

Paper Bag -

This bronze sculpture, by Michelle Nikou, plays on the idea of shyness and the anonymity of putting a paper bag over your head. The statue was installed in 2013 in Adelaide, Australia.

© Shutterstock

Fremont Troll -

The Fremont Troll (by artists Steve Badanes, Will Martin, Donna Walter, and Ross Whitehead) is a sculpture in Seattle. Inaugurated in 1990, the idea of a troll living under a bridge comes from Norwegian folklore.

© Shutterstock

Vegreville Egg -

The Vegreville Egg, by Paul Maxym Sembaliuk, is a giant sculpture of a pysanka, a Ukrainian-style Easter egg, located in Vegreville, in the Canadian province of Alberta. The statue is to honor the large Ukrainian diaspora in the town.

© Shutterstock

Čumil -

Also known as 'Man at Work,' this quirky sculpture is located in Bratislava, Slovakia, and even has its own traffic light. The statue was installed in 1997 as part of an effort to revamp the area from its old Soviet architecture.

© Shutterstock

Force of Nature -

The Force of Nature is a series of sculptures by Italian artist Lorenzo Quinn, depicting Mother Nature hurling the planet around in circles. They have been installed in many places around the world (pictured is the one in Qatar).

© Shutterstock

The Travelers -

Displayed around the waterfront in Marseille, France, are a number of bronze statues by Bruno Catalano. The themes of the sculptures are about exploring the ideas of home, loss, and the experiences of a world citizen.

© Shutterstock

El Beso -

El Beso ('The Kiss') is a large sculpture in Parque del Amor in Lima, Peru. Created in 1993, the statue depicts the sculptor, Victor Delfín, and his wife kissing.

© Getty Images

Man with Fish -

Man with Fish is a bronze sculpture by German artist Stephan Balkenhol. It was installed outside Chicago's Shedd Aquarium in 2001.

© Shutterstock

Shuttlecocks -

Located across the grounds of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City are four large shuttlecock sculptures by husband-and-wife Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen. They'll make you feel like you've been in a giant game of badminton!

© Shutterstock

Paparazzi Statue -

This paparazzo statue by Radko Macuha can be seen in Slovakia's capital city, Bratislava. Together with a number of peculiar statues in the city, this one is spotted taking sneaky pictures of tourists and local celebrities.

© Shutterstock

Skeletons in Love -

Located in the sculpture park Sala Keoku in Nong Khai, Thailand, is a romantic skeleton couple (by Bunleua Sulilat). They might look cute in daylight, but they will surely give you the shivers at night.

Sources: (Travel + Leisure) (Wanderlust) (Attractions of America) (Bright Side)

See also: Secrets behind famous monuments 

© Shutterstock