Updated for 2026: Downtown Dubai remains one of the city's busiest walking areas, especially in the evening. If you're already visiting Dubai Mall or Burj Khalifa, this sculpture is an easy stop along the boulevard.
This hefty bronze sculpture stands beside Dubai Mall in Downtown Dubai. The work is titled Horse (2007) and was created by celebrated Colombian artist Fernando Botero.
If you know Botero's work, the style is instantly recognizable: bold, rounded forms, playful exaggeration, and a sense of weight that feels both humorous and elegant. His larger-than-life sculptures and paintings can be found in major cities and museums around the world.
The choice of a horse for a sculpture in one of Dubai's most prominent districts is no accident. In Arab culture, the horse has long symbolized pride, grace, and noble lineage. Arabian horses, developed on the peninsula over centuries, helped shape many modern breeds and remain admired worldwide for their endurance and beauty.
