A small town in southern Brazil is building a giant new statue of Christ that will exceed that of the famous Christ towering over Rio de Janeiro from Corcovado Hill.
The construction of the statue, whose arms and legs were installed this week, started in 2019 in Encantado (22,000 inhabitants), located 144 km from Porto Alegre in the state of Rio Grande del Sur. The work must be completed at the end of the year, according to the Association of Friends of Christ, which coordinates its realization.
“It is certainly a day of celebration, of devotion”, welcomed on social networks Gilson Conzatti, adviser of the project and son of the initiator of the project, Adroaldo Conzatti, ex-mayor of the city who died in March of complications from COVID-19.
The statue of Christ the Protector of Encantado will be 43 meters high including the pedestal, making it the third tallest statue of its kind in the world. Thirty-six meters separate one hand from the other. The monument will be equipped with an interior lift and topped by a belvedere.
Christ the Redeemer of Corcovado, icon of Brazil, is 38 meters high including pedestal and was inaugurated in October 1931.
The new statue, installed on a hill called Cerro de las Antenas, was designed by a priest from Encantado to “transmit the faith of the inhabitants of Encantado and promote tourism in the region”.
The realization was entrusted to the sculptors Genesio and Markus Moura who are father and son. The project represents two million reals (about 295,000 euros), financed by donations and without public money, according to the Association of Friends of Christ.
On its website, the association made up of volunteers continues the campaign to collect donations and offers to win a vehicle by lottery to encourage them.