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Cristo de la Concordia

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SeenThat
SeenThat
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5 out of 5
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Cristo de la Concordia

  • March 22, 2007
  • Rated 5 of 5 by SeenThat from Tel Aviv, Israel
Cristo de la Concordia

Embracing humanity from above, the Cristo de la Concordia in Cochabamba is the highest and tallest Christ statue in South America. Many Evangelical Christians find the very concept of such a statue offending; however, despite being one of them, I disagree. A statue erected as a symbol of peace and concord among humans – not within a temple – and in clear sight for everyone to see and get the message must be praised. Welcoming, outstretched arms are too rare in our world to be ignored.

A message of love for Quechuas and Aymaras, Guaranis and Gringos alike, this specific site is worth a visit also due to the awesome views of the city and the mountains – the Altiplano in fact – just next to it. A morning fog usually blocks the views; afterwards, the bright altitude sun would not allow taking good pictures. Hence, the best time for such a visit is the late afternoon.

How to reach it:
The statue is atop a hill, 265m above the city. It is possible to reach it by the cable car located at the end of the Heroinas Avenue, next to downtown. The trip takes four minutes and costs 3BOB (less than half a dollar). Another option is to climb the 1399 steps leading from the base to the summit along a gentle path that looks as the perfect appetizer before an afternoon’s picnic. However, the base is at 2575 meters above the sea level and the summit at 2840m. Most people do not experience altitude sickness at these altitudes – and that is especially true if descending to Cochabamba from La Paz – but it is recommended to make a preparatory walk along the city’s flat streets to check fitness. If dizziness and a shortness of breath appear, then it is better to skip the walk and use the cable car. A satisfactory compromise would be to climb with the cable car and to descend through the steps. Another point to consider is that at such altitude plants begin to grow shorter – until they completely disappear above the Altiplano – and that means that the views along the way are clear but also that there is no protection against the strong sun radiation. Taking a wide hat and plenty of water is necessary. Without a coffee shop at the top, the visit are usually short.

The Statue:
The statue was built between 1987 and 1994; it is 34.2m high, and with its base it reaches a final height of 40.44m. The height of the head is 4.64m and the arms are extended in a welcoming posture. Its design is surprisingly smart; barely more than an archetypal one, it manages in such a way to accurately impart the message of universality which would have been lost otherwise.

From journal Deep Down in the Valleys: Cochabamba

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