Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Caucasus - Geghard Monastery, Armenia
Armenia • 15 days, 14 nights
Caucasus Road Trip: Azerbaijan, Georgia & Armenia
from
Taktsang Lhakhang, also known as the “Tiger’s Nest”.
Bhutan • 11 days, 10 nights
Festivals & Temples of Bhutan
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Muc Lien’s 18 Gates of Hell.
Muc Lien's 18 Gates of Hell
Lighthouse and Museum of Jára Cimrman (Maják a muzeum Járy Cimrmana).
Lighthouse of Jára Cimrman
Markers honor 865 war dead.
Sovjet Ereveld (Soviet Field of Honor)
The intaglio leaves a subtle impression on the land along Riverside Drive in Fort Atkinson.
Panther Intaglio
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The sign declares this the number-one gumbo shop in town.
Gumbo Hut Shioya
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
USDA and Washington State agriculture officials tagged this Asian giant hornet. Sept. 10, 2021.
What Ever Happened to the Murder Hornets?
about 21 hours ago
The exterior of the Hall of Records.
Atlas Obscura Mailbag: Urban Exploration, Illegal Carvings, and Repeat Vacations
3 days ago
Biosphere 2 campus (2016)
Biosphere 2: How Volunteers Survived for 2 Years in an Airtight Habitat
4 days ago
Places like Forest Grove linger on the edge of wilderness and civilization.
Listening for Echoes of the Forest Grove Sound
4 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Ohio Columbus Arnold Schwarzenegger Statue

Arnold Schwarzenegger Statue

A bronze of the man in all his sinewy glory celebrates his longtime connection to the Ohio city.

Columbus, Ohio

Added By
Holly
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
The statue stands tall at 8 feet.   Choosy Traveler/CC Attribution License
The statue stands tall at 8 feet.   Choosy Traveler/CC Attribution License
It shows Schwarzenegger at his muscular best.   Choosy Traveler/CC Attribution License
The plaques at the site.   Choosy Traveler/CC Attribution License
He was a young bodybuilding star when he first visited Columbus.   Choosy Traveler/CC Attribution License
It was shifted in 2014.   Choosy Traveler/CC Attribution License
The Arnold Classic is held at this venue.   Detailintheshadow/CC BY 2.0
Schwarzenegger’s signature.   TheColumbusDispatch/CC BY 2.0
The statue was originally unveiled in 2012.   Choosy Traveler CC attribution license
Photo by Drew Scofield   DrewScofield01 / Atlas Obscura User
  tylercole / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Arnold Schwarzenegger is most commonly linked with California, as he was the state’s "Governator" for eight years. But he also has a special connection with Columbus, Ohio, which hosts the annual Arnold Sports Festival, aka the Arnold Classic.

This association goes back to 1970, when the young bodybuilding star arrived in the city, fresh from a Mr. Universe triumph in London, to participate in the Mr. World contest. He bagged the top honor there too and developed a friendship with the event’s organizer Jim Lorimer, and expressed interest in working with him after retiring from the sport. 

This was the start of a lifelong association, where the two promoted bodybuilding events beginning with the 1976 Mr. Olympia event. In 1989, they organized the Arnold Classic, a bodybuilding and fitness competition and expo, which still takes place in Columbus every year.  

To mark Schwarzenegger’s Mr. World victory and the continued association, a 8-feet tall bronze statue of the man in all his sinewy muscular glory, was unveiled in 2012 outside the Veterans Memorial Auditorium, where the 1970 competition was conducted. When the auditorium was demolished, the statue was moved to its current location outside the Columbus Convention Center, where the Arnold Classic is now held. 

Related Tags

Sports Statues Politics Competitions

Know Before You Go

The statue is listed on Google Maps, and is easily spotted in front of the convention center. There's some street parking in the area, which is your best bet if you're just stopping by for the statue.

Community Contributors

Added By

Thought and Sight

Edited By

tylercole, Kavya Ram Mohan, DrewScofield01, Bkern...

  • tylercole
  • Kavya Ram Mohan
  • DrewScofield01
  • Bkern
  • srcogsil
  • msdiva1

Published

June 15, 2017

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://choosytraveler.com/arnold-statue-columbus-ohio/
  • http://www.arnoldsportsfestival.com/
  • http://www.columbusunderground.com/bronze-arnold-statue-installed-at-veterans-memorial
  • http://www.columbusunderground.com/arnold-schwarzenegger-statue-finds-new-home-on-high-street
  • http://www.muscleandfitness.com/athletes-celebrities/news/arnold-statue-re-dedicated-columbus
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_Sports_Festival
  • http://www.columbusalive.com/content/stories/2012/02/30/the-arnold-jim-lorimer-the-man-behind-the-festival.html
  • https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/arnolds-architect-jim-lorimer.html
  • https://www.theironden.com/the-history-of-the-arnold-classic/
  • http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/32740
Arnold Schwarzenegger Statue
474 N High St
Columbus, Ohio
United States
39.972096, -83.002251
Get Directions

Nearby Places

'As We Are'

Columbus, Ohio

miles away

Ohio Statehouse Fossils

Columbus, Ohio

miles away

Scioto Lounge Deer Sculptures

Columbus, Ohio

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Columbus

Columbus

Ohio

Places 14

Nearby Places

'As We Are'

Columbus, Ohio

miles away

Ohio Statehouse Fossils

Columbus, Ohio

miles away

Scioto Lounge Deer Sculptures

Columbus, Ohio

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Columbus

Columbus

Ohio

Places 14

Related Places

  • Saint Paul, Minnesota

    'Miracle on Ice' Statue

    This statue of Olympic hockey coach Herb Brooks immortalizes one of the greatest moments in American sports history.

  • Budapest, Hungary

    Bud Spencer Statue

    The bronze creation commemorates the life and work of a beloved actor.

  • Elf Freunde Kreisel

    Kaiserslautern, Germany

    Elf Freunde Kreisel

    A team of concrete athletes stands in the middle of a traffic circle.

  • The Lacrosse Players, by Elmer P. Petersen, was dedicated in 1981.

    La Crosse, Wisconsin

    'The Lacrosse Players'

    This downtown statue pays tribute to the Native American game that gave the city of La Crosse its name.

  • A bronze statue of a golden retriever holding two flags in its mouth.

    Ashland, Massachusetts

    Spencer the Marathon Dog Statue

    This sculpture is dedicated to a local therapy dog who later became the official mascot of the 126th Boston Marathon.

  • A crowd of statues

    Taoyuan, Taiwan

    Garden of the Generalissimos

    A Taiwanese garden teems with the retired statues of the island's former dictator.

  • Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Spomenik Francetu Prešernu

    When this monument to Slovenia's national poet was erected, it's said to have sparked the ire of nearby church authorities.

  • A front view of the statue from the opposite facing pavement

    Ipswich, England

    Alexander Obolensky Statue

    A bronze and stone statue made to recognize the life and career of a Russian aristocrat turned English rugby player.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.