How Big is the Biggest Jesus Christ Statue?

The biggest statue of Jesus in the world is the Cristo de la Concordia in San Pedro hill in Cochabamba, in Bolivia. The statue is 34.20 meters (112.2 ft) high. The pedestal is 6.24 meters (20.5 ft), so the total height is 40.44 meters (132.7 ft). It is the biggest statue in the Southern Hemisphere.

General Information about the Cristo de la Concordia

Work on the statue started July 12, 1987 and was finished on November 20, 1994. The designers were Cesar and Walter Terrazas Pardo.

The statue was actually patterned after the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil. The statue is situated 265 meters (870 ft) over Cochabamba. With its location, the Cristo de la Concordia rises some 2,840.00 meters (9,317.6 ft) above the sea.

The biggest statue of Jesus in the world weighs an estimated 2,200 tons (or 2,200,000 kg). The head is 4.64 meters (15.2 ft) high and weighs 11,850 kilograms (26,100 lb).

The arm span is 32.87 meters (107.8 ft). The whole statue encompasses an area 2,400.00 meters (7,874.0 ft).

Christ the Redeemer

Known as O Cristo Redentor in Portuguese, this statue is found in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. It is 39.6 meters (130 ft) high. The pedestal is 9.5 meters (31 ft) high and 30 meters (98 ft) wide. The statue weighs 700 short tons (635 tons).

The statue is situated at the Corcovado Mountain in Tijuca Forest National Park. It towers 700 meters (2,300 ft) over Rio de Janeiro. The statue is comprised of soapstone and reinforced concrete. It is the second biggest statue of Jesus in the world.

Historical Background

Work on the statue began in 1922, but the idea for it first emerged in the 1850s. A priest named Pedro Maria Boss asked Princess Isabel to build the statue. The proposal was rejected and in 1889, laws declaring the separation of church and state became formal.

However in 1921, proposals for the Christ statue were renewed. A group called the Catholic Circle of Rio set up the Monument Week to entice voter signatures. Catholics from all over the country signed the petition and made donations.

Construction

After the proposal was accepted, various designs were submitted. These included Christ holding a globe, a pedestal and a cross. The image with arms outstretched was eventually selected for the second biggest statue of Jesus in the world. Heitor da Silva Costa was chosen as the engineer. The statue was sculpted by Paul Landowski.

After Landowski’s submissions were made, it was agreed that reinforced concrete be employed. The soapstone was used for the outer sections of the statue. The material was chosen because it is durable.

Christ the Redeemer was unveiled on October 12, 1931. The total expenses ran up to $250,000. On July 7, 2007 the statue was chosen to be one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. It has become one of the most renowned symbols of Brazil.

These are two of the biggest statues of Jesus in the world. These have become popular tourist attractions in their respective countries, and also objects of religious devotion.