VI
EN
Located inside the Gurita Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park in the famous tourist destination of Bali, Indonesia, the giant Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue is the pride and effort of the Indonesian people. Including the massive base, this statue is ranked 4th in the world in height, about 30 meters taller than the Statue of Liberty in the US.
The 121 m high Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue is equivalent to a 21-storey building.
History of the formation of the giant statue
In 1990, Indonesian artist and sculptor Nyoman Nuarta came up with a design for an ambitious project: a statue of the Hindu god Vishnu riding on the eagle Garuda. The statue was to be built in the south of Bali, known as the island of the gods.
According to Indonesian legend, Garuda agreed to let Vishnu ride on his body in exchange for an elixir to save his mother who was enslaved. Garuda then became a loyal animal always by Vishnu's side. The statue depicts that image.
Mr. Nyoman’s project quickly gained the support of influential people. However, it was not without its opposition. Locals opposed the statue because they felt such a huge object would cause a spiritual imbalance. They worried that all the profits from the statue would not benefit Bali but would end up in Jakarta.
Tourists visit the giant statue
It took nearly three decades to complete the world's fourth tallest statue.
In 1997, the construction of the Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue officially began. However, the financial crisis that followed caused the construction to stall. In 2013, after a 16-year hiatus, a real estate company agreed to fund the continued construction of the statue. The idea of building the statue was controversial when the religious authorities on the island complained that the huge size of the statue could destroy the spirit of the island. However, many people agreed with the project because they believed that the statue would be a new tourist attraction.
It was not until September 2018 that the complete statue was completed after 28 years from the beginning with a total cost of about 100 million USD (about 2,301 billion VND).
Garuda Wisnu Kencana became the tallest statue in Indonesia and the tallest Hindu god statue in the world. It represents Vishnu, one of the main gods of Hinduism, riding on the back of the mythical beast Garuda.
This statue took 28 years to complete with a construction cost of up to 100 million USD (about 2,301 billion VND).
The entire structure was built from 754 pieces pieced together to form a giant statue weighing over 3,000 tons with a steel frame covered in copper and brass skin.
The statue has a stainless steel frame as well as a steel and concrete core column with a specialized lighting system installed for beautiful evening illumination. On top of Vishnu’s head is a 3.5 ton crown inlaid with gold. The Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue is designed to be sturdy and withstand storms and earthquakes.
