Cristo Rei-explored
With outstretched arms, the figure of Christ the King faces the Ponte 25 de Abril and the city of Lisbon. It stands on a 75 m high base. This is 113 m above the Tagus. The statue itself is 28m tall, making it the seventh tallest statue of Christ in the world. The monument is one of the tallest structures in Portugal and the most important attraction in Almada. Because of its height, the statue is one of the best viewpoints of Lisbon. Along with Fátima and Santiago de Compostela, it is one of the three most important pilgrimage sites on the Iberian Peninsula.
When the Archbishop of Lisbon Dom Manuel Gonçalves Cerejeira visited the then capital of Brazil in 1934, the Cristo Redentor (Rio de Janeiro), inaugurated in 1931 (30 m tall) inspired him to build a replica in Lisbon. He managed to convince the Portuguese episcopacy of his plan. At an April 20, 1940 gathering in Fátima, the bishops vowed to erect the statue if God spared Portugal from World War II.
After the end of the war, on December 18, 1949, construction of the statue began. The Christ sculpture was made by Portuguese sculptor Francisco Franco de Sousa. Portuguese architect António Lino designed the base. After around ten years of construction, the statue was inaugurated on Pentecost Sunday, May 17, 1959. 300,000 people attended, including the Archbishops of the Archdiocese of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro and the Archdiocese of Lourenço Marques. Pope John XXIII was not present and sent his greetings. A plan to expand the site was approved in 1984 to mark the 25th anniversary of the inauguration. A reception center with administrative buildings and a chapel was built. The buildings were renovated in 2001/02. On May 17, 2007, the Sala João XXIII was inaugurated with eight paintings on the theme of Pax in Terris. On the same day, in front of the statue, the Cruz Alta was laid, which had previously been in the Sanctuary of Fátima.
[Wikipedia]
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Cristo Rei-explored
With outstretched arms, the figure of Christ the King faces the Ponte 25 de Abril and the city of Lisbon. It stands on a 75 m high base. This is 113 m above the Tagus. The statue itself is 28m tall, making it the seventh tallest statue of Christ in the world. The monument is one of the tallest structures in Portugal and the most important attraction in Almada. Because of its height, the statue is one of the best viewpoints of Lisbon. Along with Fátima and Santiago de Compostela, it is one of the three most important pilgrimage sites on the Iberian Peninsula.
When the Archbishop of Lisbon Dom Manuel Gonçalves Cerejeira visited the then capital of Brazil in 1934, the Cristo Redentor (Rio de Janeiro), inaugurated in 1931 (30 m tall) inspired him to build a replica in Lisbon. He managed to convince the Portuguese episcopacy of his plan. At an April 20, 1940 gathering in Fátima, the bishops vowed to erect the statue if God spared Portugal from World War II.
After the end of the war, on December 18, 1949, construction of the statue began. The Christ sculpture was made by Portuguese sculptor Francisco Franco de Sousa. Portuguese architect António Lino designed the base. After around ten years of construction, the statue was inaugurated on Pentecost Sunday, May 17, 1959. 300,000 people attended, including the Archbishops of the Archdiocese of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro and the Archdiocese of Lourenço Marques. Pope John XXIII was not present and sent his greetings. A plan to expand the site was approved in 1984 to mark the 25th anniversary of the inauguration. A reception center with administrative buildings and a chapel was built. The buildings were renovated in 2001/02. On May 17, 2007, the Sala João XXIII was inaugurated with eight paintings on the theme of Pax in Terris. On the same day, in front of the statue, the Cruz Alta was laid, which had previously been in the Sanctuary of Fátima.
[Wikipedia]
Thanks for looking at my photo, I really appreciate it!