King Kamehameha I Statue

The King Kamehameha I Statue stands at 417 South King Street in downtown Honolulu, Hawaii, in front of Aliiolani Hale, the former government building that now houses the Hawaii Supreme Court. The gilded bronze figure honors the monarch who unified the Hawaiian Islands in 1810. He is shown with his right arm outstretched in a gesture of peace and welcome, his left hand holding a spear, and he wears a feathered cloak and helmet in the style of Hawaiian royalty. The statue is a cast of a work by American sculptor Thomas Ridgeway Gould, made in Florence, Italy, in the 1880s. The first version was lost at sea when its ship sank near the Falkland Islands, and a replacement was cast and erected in 1883, while the recovered original later went to Kohala on Hawaii Island. Visitors stand on the lawn and sidewalk, looking up at the figure against the neoclassical facade of Aliiolani Hale behind it. A short visit takes 15 to 30 minutes, and the statue is only a two-minute walk from Iolani Palace, so it is often combined with the palace, the Hawaii State Archives and the nearby Kawaiahao Church. The statue is open 24 hours, with no admission. Morning light gives the best photographs, with the gold surface lit from the front. The most dramatic day is June 11, Kamehameha Day, when the statue is draped with long floral lei during a ceremony and parade, drawing crowds and traditional performances. Outside that date, the site is calm, though tour groups pass through at midday. Evening visits are possible, though the area is quiet after dark.