CHRIST THE KING

Description

Essentials about Christ the King in brief

No, this statue is not in Rio de Janeiro but in Lisbon. Standing in Almada on the south bank of the Tagus River, the monumental statue of Christ called Cristo Rei (Christ the King) admittedly bears a striking resemblance to the world-famous Christ the Redeemer statue on Corcovado Mountain in Rio. If you want to enjoy probably the best city panorama of Lisbon, including the huge Tagus estuary and the massive suspension bridge Ponte 25 de Abril right next to it, you should make your way to Cristo Rei.

The architecture of Christ the King

With outstretched arms, Christ the King turns towards Lisbon, the Tagus River and the 25 de Abril Bridge. The statue stands on a base 75 meters high. With a height of 28 meters, Christ the King is the seventh tallest statue of Christ in the world. The monument is one of the tallest structures in Portugal and is one of the three most important pilgrimage sites on the Iberian Peninsula, along with Fátima and Santiago de Compostela. From the viewing platform of Christ the King you can enjoy a breathtaking view over Lisbon and the Tagus River to the Atlantic Ocean.

The history of Christ the King

Historically, the statue of Christ the King dates back to 1934 when the Archbishop of Lisbon, Dom Manuel Gonçalves Cerejeira, visited the then Brazilian capital of Rio de Janeiro and saw the statue of Christ the Redeemer inaugurated three years earlier. The Lisbon Archbishop was so enthusiastic about Christ the Redeemer in Rio that he convinced the Portuguese Bishops’ Conference to build a replica in Lisbon. In 1940, the bishops vowed to erect the statue should God spare Portugal from World War II.

And so it happened that after the end of the World War, in 1949, the construction of the statue began. The sculpture of Christ the King is a work of the Portuguese sculptor Francisco Franco de Sousa. The pedestal was designed by the Portuguese architect António Lino. After about ten years of construction, the statue was inaugurated on Pentecost Sunday, May 17, 1959, with the participation of about 300,000 people. In 1984, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the inauguration, a plan was approved to expand the site. A reception center with administrative buildings and a chapel were built. In 2007, the huge Cruz Alta cross, which had previously been in the Fátima Shrine, was laid down in front of the statue.

The visit of and the view from Christ the King

However, most visitors come to Almada not because of the Christ the King statue itself, but because of the fantastic view that is offered from here. Already from the square in front of the monument you can enjoy a great view of the Tagus, the 25 de Abril Bridge and the city of Lisbon. If you want to top this view, you should take the elevator up to the 82 meter high observation deck (the last meters you have to climb stairs). From the observation deck, you have a breathtaking view over Lisbon and the Tagus River all the way to the Atlantic Ocean.

At the base of the Christ the King monument is the main chapel, Capela de Nossa Senhora da Paz. There is also another chapel inside on the upper floor, two halls and a souvenir store. Next to the monument is the main and reception building.