Description:
Nanjing, China. Yangshan quarry. Monolithic stele. This is the stele base: 30.35m long, 13m thick, 16m tall and a weight of 16,250 metric tons. In the beginning of the 15th century, emperor Yongle decided to have the greatest monument imaginable monument to honor his father, founder of the Ming dynasty. It was supposed to be errected on his tomb. It is here, in this quarry, that he ordered the construction of the stele in three parts. It was supposed to be the world's biggest memorial.