Cristo Rei

Between 1959 and 1969, in the years following World War II, the Portuguese built this statue. The name Cristo Rei, which is properly translated as Christ the Redeemer, was inspired by the identical statue in Brazil. The nation's capital, Lisbon, is home to a sizable shrine dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The monument consists of 28 meters (92 feet) tall picture of Christ supported by a trapezoidal pedestal that rises to a height of 82 meters (269 feet) and is made up of four arches. The statue of Christ the King was created by sculptor Francisco Franco de Sousa, whose gate-like base was built by architect António Lino. The pedestal's four arches are pointed in the directions indicated by the compass rose.

Facing Lisbon from a clifftop pedestal on the southern bank of the River Tagus, the Cristo Rei has a magnificent view over the city, which can be appreciated via an internal lift elevating visitors to a lofty vantage point. Inspired by a visit to the more famous statue in Portuguese-colonized Brazil, the statue was commissioned in 1940, and the religious community saw it as a plea to the Higher Powers to spare Portugal from the horrors of World War II. Construction work began in 1949 and took 10 years to complete.

Location: Almada, Portugal
Architect: António Lino, Francisco Franco de Sousa