Asia Group, part of the Albert memorial in South Kensington, London

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The Albert Memorial stands proudly in Kensington Gardens, London, just north of the Royal Albert Hall. Commissioned by Queen Victoria as a tribute to her dearly missed husband, Prince Albert, who succumbed to typhoid fever in 1861, this magnificent monument was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott in the Gothic Revival style. Unveiled in July 1872 by Queen Victoria herself, with the statue of Albert formally "seated" in 1875, the memorial boasts a stunning canopy or pavilion, reminiscent of a Gothic ciborium over a church's high altar, housing a majestic statue of the prince facing south. Reaching an impressive height of 176 feet (54 meters), this grand structure took over ten years to complete and cost £120,000 – equivalent to approximately £10,000,000 in today's currency. The expense was covered by public subscription. At the corners of the central area and outer area, four groups of allegorical sculptures showcase Victorian industrial arts and sciences (agriculture, commerce, engineering, and manufacturing) as well as four more groups representing Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas at each corner. Each continent group features several ethnographic figures and a large animal: an elephant for Asia, a camel for Africa, a bison for the Americas, and a bull for Europe. The central sculpture of Albert can be accessed here. The Asia group was crafted by John Henry Foley, while Africa's group was sculpted by William Theed; America's group was created by John Bell, and Europe's group was designed by Patrick MacDowell. This remarkable monument is part of the "Scan The World" initiative, a non-profit project launched by MyMiniFactory to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from around the globe for public access. Scan The World is an open-source community effort; if you have interesting items nearby and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to learn how you can participate.