Christ-King

It is located at an altitude of 133 meters above the level of the Tagus

Christ-King is made up of a 75-metre-high portico, topped by the statue of the Most Holy Redeemer with open arms facing the city of Lisbon, 28 meters high. The pedestal, including the portico, rises to 82 meters in height. The monument to Christ-King is the biggest attraction in the municipality of Almada.

Christ-King is a monument located in Almada, on the south bank of the Tagus River. The idea of building the Christ-King Monument arose in 1934, during a visit to Brazil by the then Cardinal-Patriarch of Lisbon, D. Manuel Gonçalves Cerejeira. While visiting Rio de Janeiro, he saw the imposing image of Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado and soon in his heart was born the desire to build a similar work in front of Lisbon.

However, the monument to Christ-King was built in fulfillment of a vow made by the Portuguese episcopate in 1940, which asked God to free Portugal from participating in the Second World War. The President of the Council of Ministers, António Oliveira Salazar, preferred to remain neutral, as Portugal did not participate in that war.

The April 25th Bridge and Christ-King — Christ-King and the April 25th Bridge

Thus, the construction of the monument was started in December 1949, after the end of the war. It was inaugurated on May 17, 1959, with the presence of official Portuguese and foreign authorities and about 300,000 anonymous citizens. On that occasion, the original image of Our Lady of Fatima was also present. Pope John XXIII was not present at the ceremony, but he sent a message that could be heard on the radio. At the time, Cardinal Cerejeira stated that the monument would always be a sign of gratitude for the gift of peace.

View with the April 25th Bridge, the Tagus River and Lisbon in the background, from Christ-King — The views are impressive

One of the best views of the April 25th Bridge

It is one of the best places to have a panoramic view of the city of Lisbon and the Tagus. The monument was erected on top of a cliff at an altitude of over 100 meters and it is possible to climb up to the base of the statue by elevator or by a staircase of 286 steps.

Christ-King is one of the few Christ monuments in the world that has open hands, signaling blessing. In other words, it was made to emphasize the message of peace and harmony conveyed by the monument.

Visiting Christ-King is a unique experience, as in addition to being able to admire the incredible views from the top of the monument over the city of Lisbon and the Tagus, it is possible to learn about the history and architecture of the site, as well as visit the Chapel of Our Lady of Peace Carmo, which is located inside the monument. On clear days, it is even possible to see the Sintra Mountains.