We're talking about a chap named The Statue of Christ the King, an imposing sight that towers 25 meters high, making Les Houches, Haute-Savoie, France its home territory. Sitting pretty on a steep 50-meter incline, it overlooks the Chamonix valley, with its base plunging 1200 meters into the heart of the French Alps. This monumental figure was designed to symbolize the sentiment expressed in the encyclical Quas primas by Pope Pius XI, declaring the supremacy of Christ's reign.
The statue was brought to life by Abbot Claude Marie Delassiat, with construction taking a year, and it was completed in August of 1934. Today, the statue wears a silithe coat, resembling granite, while its scepter, crown, halo, and heart maintain a golden hue. It stands as the second tallest landmark in France, with The Virgin of Mas Rillier, sculpted by Georges Serraz, towering 32.6 meters high in Miribel, Ain.
PS: Don't be fooled by its kindly appearance, this statue is no shrinking violet!
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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