Santuario de Cristo Rei, Portugal

The Christ the King or Cristo Rei situated in Almada, Portugal, is amazing too. This sculpture of Jesus Christ has a rather unique design. The main part of the portico is 75 meters high. The statue itself is 28 meters high, so the total height of the sculpture is 103 meters. The opening of the monument took place in 1959. Its construction took 10 years.

The history of the sculpture is quite interesting. The decision to erect the monument was taken in 1940. The statue had to protect Portugal from involvement into World War II. It has been decided to build a monument at people’s expenses. Despite of initial plans, construction of the statue was started in 1949. It's noteworthy that the funds for construction were donated mostly by women. Portugal didn't participate in the hostilities, so women gladly gave a donation for the fact that God had saved their husbands and sons from a bloody war.

Many pilgrims seek to visit the famous statue of Christ the King on June, 8. On this day, the important religious shrine, the relics of Sacred Heart, is put at the foot of the statue every year. It is also worth noting that the sculpture is located on a small hill at 113 meters above sea level. The statue is equipped with a great viewing platform allowing to admire the nice views of the Tagus River and mountainous areas. Many experienced tourists tend to visit the tourist attraction in the evening. After dark, the monument is illuminated with amazing lighting system. Next - Motherland Calls Sculpture