| Pomnik Chrystusa Króla Christ the King |
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The statue in April 2011 |
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| Basic information | |
| Location | Świebodzin, Poland |
| Architectural description | |
| Architect(s) | Mirosław Kazimierz Patecki |
| Architectural type | Statue |
| Groundbreaking | 29 September 2006 |
| Specifications | |
| Height (max) | 33 metres (108 ft) |
| Materials | Concrete |
Christ the King (Polish: Pomnik Chrystusa Króla) is a statue of Jesus Christ in Świebodzin, Poland, completed on 6 November 2010. The statue is 33 metres (108 ft) tall,[1] the crown is 3 metres (9.8 ft) tall [2] and along with its mound, it reaches 72.5 metres (238 ft) overall, making it the tallest statue of Jesus in the world. It weighs 440 tonnes.[2] The project was conceived and led by Sylwester Zawadzki, a retired Polish priest.[3]
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The statue was built on a 16 metre embankment of stones and rubble. Christ the King has a height of 33 metres, symbolising a traditional belief that Jesus' age at his death was 33.[1] The Crown of the temple is 3.5 metres in diameter and 2 m in height, and the whole is gilded. The head is 4.5 m tall and weighs 15 tons. Each hand is 6 m in length and the distance between the ends of the fingers is 24 metres. It is composed of plaster and fibreglass.[1] It is claimed to be the tallest statue of Jesus in the world,[3] although it remains smaller than that of Cristo de la Concordia in Cochabamba, Bolivia if the statue's crown is not counted. It is 3 meters 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.
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.
On 29 September 2006, the city council of Świebodzin passed a resolution on the establishment of Christ the King.[4] The President (under the authority of the board) along with the mayor spoke to the Bishop of Zielona Góra-Gorzów Diocese. There was initial opposition from the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. 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 November 6, 2010.