Christ the King Statue, Świebodzin

Christ the King (Polish: Pomnik Chrystusa Króla[lower-alpha 1], lit. 'Monument of Christ the King') is a statue of Jesus Christ in Świebodzin, western Poland, completed on 6 November 2010. The figure is 33 metres (108 ft) tall, the crown is 2 metres (6.6 ft) tall, and along with its mound, it reaches 52.5 metres (172 ft) overall. It took five years in total to construct and cost around $1.5 million to build, which was collected from donations of the 21,000 residents of the town.[1] The project was conceived and led by Sylwester Zawadzki, a retired Polish priest.[2] It remains the tallest Jesus statue in the world according to the Guinness Book of World Records.[2][3][4]

Christ the King
Pomnik Chrystusa Króla
The statue in September 2017
Religion
AffiliationRoman Catholic
Location
LocationŚwiebodzin, Poland
Architecture
Architect(s)Mirosław Kazimierz Patecki
TypeStatue
Groundbreaking29 September 2006
Completed6 November 2010
Specifications
Height (max)33 metres (108 ft)
(statue)
52.5 metres (172 ft)
(with pedestal)
MaterialsConcrete
The statue under construction in August 2010
The statue in September 2012

Characteristics

The statue was built on a 16.5-metre (54 ft) embankment of stones and rubble.[5] Christ the King has a height of 33 metres (108 ft), symbolising a traditional belief that Jesus' age at his death was 33;[6] combined with its mound and crown, it reaches 52.5 metres (172 ft).[5] The crown of the temple is 3.5 metres (11 ft) in diameter and 2 metres (6.6 ft) in height,[1] and the whole is gilded. It weighs 440 tons. The head alone is 4.5 metres (15 ft) tall and weighs 15 tons. Each hand is 6 metres (20 ft) in length and the distance between the ends of the fingers is 24 metres (79 ft). It is composed of concrete and fibreglass.[5][6] It is 3 metres (9.8 ft) taller than the better known statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, standing at 30.1 metres (99 ft) tall without its pedestal.

Wi-Fi antennas were discovered in the crown of the statue in 2018 by a Polish tabloid; the internet provider later stated the local church was using them as a surveillance system.[7] Afterwards, the local bishop ordered their removal before 10 May 2018.[8]

Design

The designs for various elements of the statue were produced by a number of individuals; the sculpture design was primarily produced by Mirosław Kazimierz Patecki with the technical design aspect being undertaken by Assoc. Jakub Marcinowski and Assoc. Mikołaj Kłapeć, both of whom are employees of the University of Zielona Gora. Meanwhile, elements of the clothing and the arms of the statue were designed by Tomasz Stafiniak and Krzysztof Nawojski (the latter being of the town of Świebodzin) respectively. Another resident of Świebodzin, Marian Wybraniec, was responsible for the design of the foundations upon which the statue was constructed.

The construction work was undertaken by staff employed by the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Świebodzin and included welders, locksmiths and mechanics.

Construction

On 29 September 2006, the city council of Świebodzin passed a resolution on the establishment of Christ the King.[9] The President (under the authority of the board) along with the mayor spoke to the Bishop of Zielona Góra-Gorzów Diocese. State officials also temporarily halted the project due to safety concerns. With funding from local people and as far away as Canada, the statue was completed on 6 November 2010 and was at the time the Largest Statue of Jesus Christ according to the Guinness Book of World Records.[10][3]

See also

Notes
  1. Pronounced [ˈpɔmɲik ɣrɨsˈtusa ˈkrula].

References
  1. Milena Rachid Chehab (29 January 2009). "Rio wschodu" (in Polish). Wydawnictwo "Przekrój" sp. z o.o. Archived from the original on 27 October 2010. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
  2. "Polish Town Erects World's Largest Jesus Statue". Christian Post. 6 November 2010. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
  3. "Christ the King Statue". Inyourpocket.com. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  4. "Largest statue of Christ in Mexico dedicated on Easter Sunday". Catholic News Agency. 13 April 2023.
  5. KP, PAP (21 November 2010). ""Chrystus Królem Wszechświata". Poświęcono figurę w Świebodzinie" (in Polish). Gazeta.pl. Wiadomości. Archived from the original on 17 December 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
  6. "Jesus rises from cabbage field". Irish Times. 5 November 2010. Archived from the original on 8 November 2010. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  7. Jones, Rhett (24 April 2018). "An Enormous Statue of Jesus in Poland Just Got Internet Antennas and No One's Sure Why". Gizmodo. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  8. "Koniec internetu z korony Jezusa w Świebodzinie. Proboszcz zdemontował instalację". Dziennik Gazeta Prawna (in Polish). 9 May 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  9. ŚWIEBODZIN: Chrystus Król zapanuje nad Świebodzinem dopiero wiosną - 11 grudnia 2007
  10. "Tallest Jesus statue - Christ the King Monument sets world record". www.worldrecordacademy.com. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
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