A heads-up penny, a rabbit's foot, a four-leaf clover: For
centuries, people have looked to objects to bring them good luck.
But for those suffering from some serious misfortune, a trip might
be in order. From ancient stones to presidential statues, legend
has it that these monuments might just turn your luck
around.
Blarney Stone, County Cork
According to legend, laying lips on this ancient stone imparts the
"gift of the gab," and over the past 200 years, countless visitors
have bent over backwards (literally) to try their luck. The stone
itself is set in the wall below the battlements of Barney
Castle. Visitors have to first climb the stairs to the top of the
castle to show determination and prove their worth, then lay down
and lean back while holding on to an iron railing to reach it
(which is better than being lowered head first by the ankles, like
in olden days). There’s no proof that kissing the Blarney Stone
actually bestows eloquence, but notable visitors include Mick
Jagger and famous orator Winston Churchill.
The Weeping Column, Instanbul
People have been
visiting the weeping column inside the Hagia Sophia for
centuries. The column—also called the Column of St. Gregory, named
for the miracle worker—is said to weep holy water capable of curing
everything from blindness to infertility. Visitors here insert
their thumb into a hole in the column, and if it comes out feeling
damp, it is said their affliction will be cured. Another ritual,
said to grant wishes, involves placing a thumb in the hole and
rotating the hand 360-degrees.
Abraham Lincoln’s Tomb, Springfield, Illinois
Several statues are found at Lincoln’s tomb in Oak ridge
Cemetry, but only one is said to bring good luck. A large bronze
likeness of our 16th president’s head, based on a sculpture by
Gutzon Borglum of Mount Rushmore fame, sits on a granite pedestal
in front of the tomb. Each year, thousands of hands keep the
statue’s nose shiny by rubbing it for luck.
Laughing Buddha, Hangzhou, China
It’s a common belief
that rubbing the belly of a laughing buddha brings good fortune,
wealth and prosperity. But most people don’t know that the idea
comes from the Linyin Temple, one of China’s largest
monasteries. Many Buddha figures can be found here, but the one to
which the superstitious flock is situated in a series of rock
carvings named "The Peak That Flew Hither," just outside the temple
entrance
Schöner Brunnen Fountain, Nuremburg, Germany
At first glance, Schöner Brunnen in the Hauptmarket is
nothing more than a beautiful fountain situated in the city’s
historic center. But upon closer inspection, visitors can see
something perhaps more magical in nature. A moveable golden ring
embedded in the fountain’s grating is said to bring good luck to
those who turn it three times.
Winged Figures of the Republic, Nevada
On the Nevada side of
the Hoover dam, two otherworldly winged figures overlook the
canyon. The seated statues, which measure 30 feet high, are set on
large black diorite bases, making their toes the only part of them
within reach of visitors. A touch of the toes is said to bring good
luck, and appears to be a popular occurrence, as they are the only
part of the statues burnished a golden color from years of
handling.
Il Porcellino, Florence
Situated on the south side of the Mercato Nuovo, Porcellino
("piglet" in Italian) is as much of a draw for tourists as the
surrounding market. Putting a coin in the boar's mouth and rubbing
its snout is said to bring good luck, and a return to Florence. The
statue is so popular that several replicas exist, including one
gifted to Sydney Hospital, which is also thought to bring good
fortune
Everard 't Serclaes Statue, Brussels
In 1356, a Brussels
resident led efforts to reclaim the city after an attack by the
Flemish. He succeeded and a monument bearing his likeness can now
be found on the street near the Grand Palace. Many tourists
pause to rub the statue, with Serclaes’ body, an angel's face, a
dog's face, and a shield getting the most attention. Touching the
statue is said to bring luck, but over time the meaning has evolved
to also include return trips to Brussels and help with
infertility.
Bull Mosaic, Milan
Florence has its brass boar, and Milan has the bull. A mosaic of a
bull depicted in the Turin coat of arms is a draw for visitors to
the Galleria Vittorio Emanulle
II. Tradition says that planting your right heel on the bull’s
(ahem) nether-regions and spinning in a complete circle will bring
good fortune. If you’re planning to give it a whirl, try spinning
three times, since some believe that’s the magic number that leads
to luck
Victor
Noir’s Grave, Paris
Jim Morrison, Edith Piaff, Oscar Wilde—Paris' Pere Lachaise
cemetry is the final resting place for many famous people. But
one man, Victor Noir, is better known here for his grave than his
life. A realistic life-sized statue of Noir marks his grave and has
become an attraction for women visitors. Legend says that placing a
kiss upon the statue’s lips, rubbing his trousers, and then placing
a flower in his upturned hat will enhance fertility, or in some
versions, ensure a husband within the year.
