Monday 16 April 2012

The Horse and Rider Statue

Every city has its own unique statues, fountains and monuments, some of which are very famous. When you hear Eiffel Tower; you think Paris, when you hear Big Ben; you think London, and when hear Statue of Liberty; you think New York. But when you hear about a statue of a man riding a horse, are you able identify the city? You could actually name a number of cities and you would be right. It seems that every single city I have visited has one of these statues. It’s common, and after you've seen 10 of them, they no longer seem special. It's just another man on a horse.

It made me wonder what the significance of a horse and rider were. Why are there so many of these statues? Apparently riding a horse depicts the heroic character of the rider. It usually meant he was a warrior or hunter.
Source: Freud Museum London

And in case anyone was wondering, the number of feet the horse has off the ground does not indicate the rider's fate. It is a myth and done for aesthetic appeal.
Sources: Snopes and The Equinest

The following pictures are of nine common Horse and Rider Statues and one Horse and Rider Statue that ACTUALLY depicts hunting.

Cologne
Munich
Regensburg

Prague, Czech Republic

Berlin
Nürnberg
Source: Vitold Muratov, Wikimedia
Düsseldorf
Source: Our 7 Worlds
Bamberg
Source: Hochmittelalter
Paris, France
Source: Daderot, Wikipedia

Finally, the one statue that brought on a bit of excitement.


The other Horse and Rider in Berlin
 

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