But we are wondering if you know the meaning behind some of them. There’s a story behind everything from The Walrus to Ambit, Men of Steel to the Keel Square wheel.
We have them all in a series of Sunderland Echo memories, as well as their background tale.
Read on for links to shipyards, Lewis Carroll, and Barbary Coast.
1. Ambit on the Wear
The floating Sunderland sculpture made its debut on the River Wear in 1999. But it ran into problems within weeks and was taken away in 2000. Ambit was meant to represent the thousands of boats which had gone in and out of Wearside. | se
2. Jack Crawford in Mowbray Park
Jack Crawford, born in the East End of the city in 1775, became the Hero of Camperdown when he nailed Admiral Duncan's colours to the mast of HMS Venerable during a naval battle off the Dutch coast. He is immortalised by a statue in Mowbray Park, and inspired a saying which is still used today ; 'nailing your colours to the mast'. | se
3. The Babbies
These two statues - known jointly as The Babbies - were individually called The Reaper and The Leaner and their original purpose were as gate pillars of a house in Roker Avenue. They were later taken to Roker Park where they were placed in prominent positions on either side of the ravine. They were taken away when World War II arrived. | se
4. Sir Walter Raleigh
A carving of Sir Walter Raleigh was first designed and created by John Frazer, who was a Sunderland carver and gilder. He made it in Kyle’s workshop in Back Nile Street for Newbiggin’s Tobacco shop in High Street West. It first went on show in 1890 and was moved in 1913 to Holmeside after it underwent repairs. | se