Vũng Tàu, Vietnam
Christ of Vung Tau
Shoes and revealing shirts are not allowed inside this giant Vietnamese Christ.
Raising its arms high above the Vietnamese city of Vũng Tàu, this towering Christ figure spreads the message to all within eyeshot and even allows the faithful to explore the savior’s insides, so long as the conservative dress code is observed.
Completed in 1993, the concrete monument is over 100 feet tall with an impressive combined armspan of around 120 feet. Perched atop Mount Nho, the colossal Christ is further elevated by a 15 foot high platform. The stone son of God is designed in an angular style reminiscent of the art deco movement, complete with sharply abstract halo. Inside the figure, visitors can ascend a staircase that rises up the body with viewing windows to the outside inset along the way. That is if they are allowed in.
Despite the inclusive attitude of the modern Christian church, the operators of the statue do not allow flashy, or revealing clothing to be worn in the chambers under Christ’s robes. In addition, all guests must remove their shoes as they enter. No matter the strict dress code, the Christ of Vũng Tàu still draws visitors both locally and from all over the world each year to take in the imposing figure’s majesty (in their Sunday finest of course).
Contributed by
Samantha Palma
kostas1964ath
