Cristo Rei

The Sanctuary of Christ the King stands on a promontory above the Tagus, arms spread wide towards Lisbon as if in a permanent embrace of the city. From the ground, the 28-metre figure of Christ on its 75-metre pedestal is striking; from the viewing platform at the top, the panorama is one of the best in the Lisbon region. On a clear day you can see the entire city laid out across the river, the Ponte 25 de Abril stretching westward, the Atlantic glinting beyond.

The platform is reached by a lift inside the pedestal, then a short flight of stairs. The sanctuary grounds include a small chapel and a garden. It is a working Catholic shrine as well as a tourist attraction, so services are held regularly and the atmosphere near the chapel is appropriately quiet. Entrance to the grounds is free; the lift to the viewing platform costs a small fee. Buses from the Cacilhas ferry terminal run directly to the entrance.

things to do sight monument
A story
The Cristo Rei was built as a thanksgiving offering after Portugal was spared from involvement in the Second World War. Cardinal Cerejeira had promised to erect a monument to Christ if Portugal stayed out of the conflict — he made the vow during a visit to the Cristo Redentor in Rio de Janeiro in 1936. The statue was finally inaugurated in 1959, seventeen years after the war ended, by which point the project had grown from a modest cross into a 28-metre figure on a 75-metre pedestal.