👐 Tulsa’s Towering Bronze Landmark
One of the stranger stops I built into a Mystery GPS Tour. Zach didn’t know what was coming.
The World’s Largest Praying Hands caught my attention online because it said “World’s Largest” and that’s our jam. We love superlatives. We love weird records. We love roadside attractions that make good photos. You know, the things that make you go hmmmm!!
By the time we pulled into Oral Roberts University, I’d forgotten which pin it was — but the sculpture made it obvious. Two massive bronze hands, locked mid-prayer, rising out of the lawn like a monument to literalism. It wasn’t subtle, it wasn’t quiet, and it was exactly what I’d hoped for.
📏 World’s Largest Praying Hands — Scale and Specs
The sculpture stands 60 feet tall and weighs over 30 tons. It’s cast entirely in bronze and holds the official title of the largest praying hands in the world — and one of the largest bronze pieces ever made. It sits at the front of the ORU campus, surrounded by landscaped gardens and spiritual signage. You don’t stumble across something like this. You arrive, and it’s already there watching you.
🧤 Who Made Them and Why
Oklahoma artist Leonard McMurray designed the hands in 1980. Here’s something interesting: one hand is modeled after Oral Roberts himself, the other after his son Richard. They were originally installed at the City of Faith medical center — part of Roberts’ vision for a towering medical complex — and later relocated to the university campus in 1991. The towers behind them now house corporate tenants, but the hands stayed put. The symbolism stayed loud.
🟫 Patina and Presence
Decades of weather have left the bronze streaked and oxidized — deep patina, uneven shine, and a texture that feels older than it actually is. You don’t just glance at these hands and move on. You stand under them and recalibrate your sense of scale. Whether you’re here to document, observe, or just check it off the list, they hold their ground. They don’t whisper or invite contemplation. They just exist — massive, immovable, and unapologetically literal.
📖 The Verse
Luke 2:52 is carved into the base: “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” It’s part of the installation. I noted it, photographed it, and moved on. The verse adds context, but it doesn’t change the scale that earned this stop its place on our tour.
🗺️ Visiting the World’s Largest Praying Hands
Located at 7777 South Lewis Avenue in Tulsa. Free to visit and easy to access. It’s worth walking the full loop — the scale shifts depending on where you stand. If you’re building your own GPS tour, this one earns its spot. It’s not subtle, but it’s not forgettable either. It’s the kind of stop that lingers — not because it’s beautiful, but because it’s impossible to ignore.