Hello all lovely friend!!!
What did you do over the weekend?
Due to the storm's influence, the last two days of the weekend in my area rained heavily with cold air, making the weather unfavorable. Even though the weather isn't cooperating, the Christmas spirit is still palpable.I wish my friends a Merry Christmas that is both warm and peaceful.
Today, I'd like to invite you to accompany me to Vung Tau to see the tallest Jesus Christ statue in Asia.
The statue's location
The Christ statue is located on the summit of Vung Tau's Tao Phung mountain. Have you visited Vung Tau yet? This is a city in the province of Ba Ria Vung Tau in Vietnam's Southeast region. Vung Tau is a popular tourist destination in Vietnam because it has many beautiful beaches and a well-developed investment infrastructure.Furthermore, this is the logistics sector of Vietnam's oil and gas industry.The peninsula of the same name contains the majority of Vung Tau's territory. By road, it is 95 kilometers southeast of Ho Chi Minh City.
Tao Phung mountain, at 170 meters in elevation, is one of two mountains in Vung Tau. The mountain is near the sea. A coastal road at the foot of the mountain is lined with hotels, restaurants, and cafes. Tao Phung mountain has two peaks, one higher than the Vung Tau lighthouse, and the lower peak is where the statue of Jesus Christ stretching out his arms is located.
The construction of the Jesus statue
The construction of the statue is divided into two stages.
The first stage:
The statue was granted permission, and construction began in 1974. However, due to the impact of historical events on April 30, 1975, the work was temporarily halted. The historical event of April 30, 1975 is known as the day of liberation of the South and reunification of the country (as the Vietnamese state refers to it) or the fall of Saigon (as the Western press names it).
The second stage:
After numerous requests to the government, Father Tran Van Huyen, pastor of Vung Tau parish, resumed his work on repairing and restoring the statue in 1992. At that moment, the statue was deteriorated, the grass were overgrown, and the coil of bronze cable lightning protection was stolen. However, thanks to the efforts of the Xuan Loc diocese and the contributions of many people, the statue was completed after two years of renovation.
Nguyen Quang Duc, an architect, is in charge of the concrete and technical aspects. In charge of the fine arts is sculptor Van and a team of 50 skilled sculptors.
Thank you for your ancestors's efforts, which have resulted in Vung Tau becoming a well-known religious tourist destination.
Jesus Christ statue's architecture
The statue is 32 meters tall, with two arms length 18.3 meters, and stands 170 meters above sea level, with a beautiful view of the sea, on a rectangular pedestal surrounded by four base-reliefs. A bas-relief of the Last Farewell stands in front of the statue.
There are 133 steps inside to climb the statue's two arms. Although the road is narrow and difficult to go up, you will be rewarded with a hight spectacular view and Jesus Christ's face can be seen most clearly from here.
- The Christ statue stands firmly, arms outstretched to support all people, the surface of the statue faces the sea, and it is full of gentleness and tolerance, as protecting the flock.
- The halo on the statue's head is intended to be used in conjunction with lightning protection.
On the body of the statue, three windows with a pattern of the letter Tho ( Chinese characters) are carved to open and let light shine in, brightening the path inside.
Despite the fact that the statue is made of reinforced concrete, the aesthetic details such as standing position, facial expressions and the costumes are very soft and charismatic.
Itinerary for visiting the Jesus Christ's statue
If you go from Ho Chi Minh to Vung Tau, there are 3 ways to get there
- By motobike or car, it take 2,5-3hours
- By passeger car, from Sai Gon bus station to Vung Tau, it take 2,5-3hours, ticket price 80.000- 150.000. From Vung Tau bus station to Jesus statue is 4km. You can go there by taxi or motorbike taxi.
- The hydrofoil is the quickest way to travel from Saigon to Vung Tau. So I choose this way. I start from Nha Rong Port to Vung Tau port, it take only 1,5hours. However, the fare is the most expensive, 200.000/ticket.
- This place is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and there is no admission fee; you only need to pay a small fee to park your car. You should go early in the morning when the weather is cool and conducive to climbing.
After passing through the gate, you must climb more than 800 steps to reach the statue.
- This is viewed as a test of the devout tourists' willpower and determination. Every 100 steps, there will be a stop selling souvenirs and soft drinks, from which we can zoom into the sea, cool breeze, and beautiful scenery.
- There is also a statue of Mother of God carrying Jesus Christ' body in front of the Jesus Christ statue with his arms outstretched.
- We will reach the statue area after completing 811 levels. Inside, we'll climb 133 steps to reach Jesus' arm. We can zoom into the sea from here, and the view is breathtaking.
Titles attained of the Jesus Christ statue
- January, 18,1991: The statue has been designated as a national historical relic.
- May, 5, 2006: The largest statue of Jesus Christ in Vietnam
- January, 9,2012: The largest Jesus Christ statue in Asia
Thank you for following along on my adventure. I wish you a happy life and I am hoping for your support.
💖💖💖💖💖Thank you and see you in the next post.💖💖💖💖