• From Corcovado to Świebodzin, from Copoya to Manado, from Maratea to Vung Tau and Cochambama to Lisbon, all of these statues are symbols of faith.

  • Although the majestic statue of Christ the Redeemer at Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro is considered the most famous in the world, there are others at many locations around the globe. Their size ranges between 20 and 40 meters in height (1 meter = 1.09 yards). They are like the Statue of Liberty in New York: a unifying and protective symbol for the whole country, and an attraction for thousands of tourists. Did you know that Brazil alone has more than a hundred public statues made on the model of that of Corcovado?

    Here is a selection of 10 of the most significant monumental representations of Christ around the world: click on the first image to see the slideshow.

  • 1. Christ the Redeemer, of Corcovado (Brazil), Rio de Janeiro

  • One of the most popular Christian emblems in the world, it stands 38 meters tall (including 30 for Christ and 8 for the pedestal) and has a width of 28 meters from hand to hand. It was made in 1931 by French sculptor Paul Landowski at the request of Heitor da Silva, the engineer who coordinated the work and dedicated his life to it. In Brazil, more than 130 cities have their own statue of Christ based on the model of that of Rio.

  • 2. The Glorious Christ of Copoya (Mexico), Chiapas

  • Today, it is the largest artistic representation of Christ in the world at 62.30 m in height (including the base), surpassing the Christ the Redeemer of Rio de Janeiro by 16 meters. Its lower part houses a religious tourist complex. Its construction began in 2007 after nearly 20 years of preparation, under the direction of the sculptor, painter and architect Gabriel Gallegos, inspired by the Zoque culture, one of the pre-Columbian ethnic groups in Chiapas.

  • 3. The Christ of Concord (or peace), in Cochabamba (Bolivia)

  • The body measures 34.50 meters. Built in concrete and steel between 1987 and 1994 by artist and sculptor Cesar Terrazas Pardo and his workshop, the statue was erected in memory of the visit of Pope John Paul II to the city in 1988. You must climb 1,399 steps to reach the body and go inside up to to the arm of Christ, to enjoy a superb panorama.

  • 4. Christ Blessing, of Manado, Sulawesi (Indonesia)

  • It is 30 meters tall, while its pedestal measures 20 meter. Built between 2007 and 2010, it required the use of 35 tons of steel and 25 tons of metal fibers. It is the second tallest statue in Asia and the fourth tallest statue of Christ in the world (without the pedestal). It is a very impressive image of Christ blessing the Earth, with his arms outstretched and his clothes floating in the wind, which earned him the first place among the highest “flying statues” in the world. At the origin of the project: a rich Protestant real estate developer.

  • 5. The Broken Christ of the Island, San Jose de Gracia (Mexico)

  • The statue is 25 meters tall, to which we must add three meters if we count the base. Completed in 2006, it is meant to be a reminder of the sick and the oppressed, but is more popular as a tourist attraction.

  • 6. The statue of Christ the Redeemer of Maratea (Italy)

  • It is 22 meters high and has a span from hand to hand of 19 meters. Made in the 1960s of white cement and pieces of Carrara marble, the statue stands right in front of the sanctuary of Saint Blaise, an Armenian martyr who is the patron of Maratea, and whose relics are kept in the basilica.

  • 7. The Christ of Vung Tau (Vietnam)

  • The statue is 32 meter high, mounted on a 4 meter platform. The span of the statue’s arms is 18 meters. The pedestal is decorated with an engraving representing the Lord’s Supper. A work of the Catholic Association, its construction started in 1974 but was not completed until 1993. A staircase of 133 steps allows visitors to climb to the platforms at the end of each arm.

  • Source: Aleteia