If you have visited Lisbon, you have probably seen Cristo Rei standing on the other side of the Tagus River.
And if it reminds you of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, there is a reason for that.
In 1934, the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon, Manuel Gonçalves Cerejeira, visited Rio de Janeiro and saw the famous Christ the Redeemer statue. The experience gave him the idea of creating a similar monument overlooking Lisbon.
But a few years later, the project gained another meaning.
In 1940, during the Second World War, Portuguese bishops made a vow to build a monument to the Sacred Heart of Jesus if Portugal was spared from the war.
Portugal remained neutral and did not directly enter the conflict.
The first stone was laid in 1949 and, after years of construction, Cristo Rei was officially inaugurated on 17 May 1959, with around 300,000 people attending the ceremony.
The statue itself is 28 metres tall and stands on an 82 metre pedestal. Its location high above the Tagus also gives you a fantastic panoramic view over Lisbon, Almada and the river.
For me, the view is one of the best reasons to visit.
Most tourists see Cristo Rei from Lisbon, but seeing Lisbon from Cristo Rei is a completely different experience.
Planning a trip to Lisbon, Porto or the Algarve? 🇵🇹
My digital travel guides include my local recommendations, practical tips, places to eat and organised Google Maps lists, so you can spend less time searching and more time enjoying Portugal.
Download here:
www.portugaldigitalguides.com
0 comments