The King Kamehameha Statue stands across the street from the ‘Iolani Palace in Downtown Honolulu and is 18 feet tall.
The legislature appropriated $10,000 for the statue and contacted a Boston sculptor living abroad in Florence, Italy to create the statue. The statue was sent to France to be cast in bronze in 1880 and was supposed to be placed at ‘Iolani Palace. But the ship that the statue was to be delivered on was lost at sea near Cape Horn.
Luckily, the legislature had insured the statue for $12,000 so another one was quickly reordered from the sculptor. Later the original statue was finally recovered and sold back to the captain of the ship. This original statue eventually made its way to the islands and now resides neat King Kamehameha’s birthplace in Kapa’au, on the Big Island.
Other statues of King Kamehameha can be found in Hilo, Washington D.C. & Maui.
Visit this and many other Honolulu landmarks like Kawaiaha’o Church on the many Honolulu City Tours provided by Polynesian Adventure Activities.
