The statue of the largest Christ in the world, with 37.5 meters high without counting the pedestal, it was erected in the south of Brazil. It hopes to be inaugurated, together with a tourist complex that is under construction, in the first half of 2023.
One year following its official inauguration, the statue of the Christ Protector of Encantado, a city 145 kilometers from Porto Alegre, capital of the state of Rio Grande do Sul -border with Uruguay and Argentina-, was completed at the end of April.
Access to the place is still difficult. However, the number of pilgrims and tourists has been constant since the start of the works in 2019.
Encantando’s Christ Protector is 1.5 meters taller than Poland’s Christ the King, officially the world’s largest. It exceeds the 34.2 meters of the Cristo de La Concordia, in Bolivia, and its famous countryman, the Christ the Redeemer of Rio de Janeiro, which is 30 meters.
According to Friends of the Christ of Enchanted Association (AACE), since the beginning of the works have passed through the place 37,000 pilgrims anxious to see the works that were completed, in its first stage, on April 22.
Works are still being carried out, such as the completion of the six-meter pedestal and the adaptation of the park that will house a tourist complex, with a shopping center, restaurants and several viewpoints in the Morro das Antenas, which is part of the Sierra Gaúcha.
Structure
The wingspan of the open arms of Christ is 39 meters, a measure greater than the height of the statue itself. The weight is 1,700 tons and the height above sea level is 436 meters.
The place is surrounded by the mountain vegetation of the Vale do Taquarín. This is an important ecosystem with various options for ecotourism, which is complemented by wine and winter tourism in nearby cities such as Gramado and Bento Gonçalves.
However, the road that gives access to the Cristo Protector Park is still undergoing restructuring to deal with the flow of vehicles.