The World’s Largest Praying Hands in Tulsa, Oklahoma
One of the more unique stops I built into one of my Mystery GPS Tours. Zach had no idea what was coming.
These tours are one of my favorite things to put together. I build the route from scratch, pin by pin. No labels. No hints. Zach drives while I navigate and just trusts that I haven’t accidentally routed us into a lake.
He’s usually expecting something practical — grocery run, hardware store, maybe a thrift shop. I always sneak a few surprises in there.
The World’s Largest Praying Hands made it onto my list because it said “World’s Largest” — and honestly, that’s all it takes with us. If there’s a biggest, smallest, tallest, weirdest anything within driving distance, it’s getting a pin.
By the time we pulled into Oral Roberts University, I’d completely forgotten which pin this was. We were just following the blue line across campus. Then we saw them: two massive bronze hands rising straight out of the lawn, 60 feet tall. Not subtle.
📍 At a Glance: World’s Largest Praying Hands
Address: 7777 S Lewis Ave, Tulsa, OK 74171 (front of the Oral Roberts University campus)
Hours: Open 24/7. It’s outdoors.
Admission: Free
Big-Rig Friendly: No. We drove the car. The streets and turns around campus are too tight for a bus, so park the rig elsewhere and drive in. Car parking is easy.
Time Needed: 15–20 minutes, longer if you walk the full loop
Good to Know: About 5 miles from Route 66 and I-44, so it’s an easy add-on to a Tulsa day.
Website: Oral Roberts University
The Numbers
60 feet tall, 30 tons, all bronze. It holds the title of world’s largest praying hands and is one of the largest bronze sculptures in the world. It sits at the front of campus, surrounded by gardens, so you’re not going to stumble onto it by accident.
Who Made Them
Oklahoma sculptor Leonard McMurry designed the hands, and they were cast in Juárez, Mexico, in 1980. They first stood at the City of Faith, Oral Roberts’ giant medical complex. When that closed, the hands moved to the university campus in 1991. The towers have corporate tenants now. The hands got the better deal.
Up Close
Decades of weather have done their thing: streaking, oxidizing, building up a deep, uneven patina. Up close, the bronze almost looks like heavy fabric that’s been folded and refolded a thousand times. They look older than they are. From the road, they’re impressive. Standing underneath them is when the scale actually hits. Oh… okay… yeah, that’s huge.
The Verse
Luke 2:52 is carved into the base: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” I noticed it, photographed it, and we moved on.
Worth the Stop?
If you’re building a GPS tour or just passing through Tulsa, yes. Walk the full loop, because the scale changes depending on where you stand.
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