If you would just see a picture somewhere on the Internet of Cristo Rei you would probably believe that the picture origins from the Christ statue located in Rio. However, the Cristo Rei statue has turned into one of the famous landmarks and attractions in Lisbon, so when you come to town, this is one of the places you ought to visit.
The work on the Cristo Rei monument on the current spot was started in 1959 and the ruler who was more like a dictator named António de Oliveira Salazar gave the permission for the monument to be built (it was by the way very inspired by the monument in Rio). The monument was finished in 1969 and it was raised with the goal of giving thanks to God for sparing the Portuguese nation during The Second World War. However, as they first planned the construction of the monument in 1940 it was meant to be built as a prayer to God to keep them away from the Second World War. The construction did however not start that early, so as it was constructed it became a thank you statue to God instead of a prayer to God.
The statue is located on a hill 133 metres above the Tagus river, and the monument is totally 110 metres, whereof the lookout spot for visitors is located at 82 metres, while the Christ statue itself is 28 metres high.
How to get to Cristo Rei?
To get to Cristo Rei you can easily travel with a public transportation boat departing from Cais do Sodre to Cacilhas. The trip costs about 2 Euro per way. From there you take bus 101 to Cristo Rei. Tickets for this bus ride can be bought from the driver on the bus. The price is about 2 Euro for the bus ride. The entrance to Cristo Rei itself is around 4 Euro per person.
Cristo Rei Lisbon
Av. Cristo Rei, 2800-058 Almada, Portugal
Opening times: 9.30 – 18.30 (sometimes 19.00)
Cristo Rei pictures
