Cristo del Otero

Last updated
Cristo del Otero
Cristo del Otero (Palencia).jpg
Monument to Christ
Cristo del Otero
Coordinates 42°1′42″N4°31′46″W / 42.02833°N 4.52944°W / 42.02833; -4.52944 Coordinates: 42°1′42″N4°31′46″W / 42.02833°N 4.52944°W / 42.02833; -4.52944
Location Bandera de Palencia.svg Palencia,
Bandera de la provincia de Palencia.svg Palencia Province,
Flag of Castile and Leon.svg Castilla y León,
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain
Designer Victorio Macho
MaterialCement
Height21 meters
Completion date12 June 1931

The Cristo del Otero (Christ of the Knoll) is a large sculpture and symbol of the city of Palencia in Spain, located on a knoll (otero) on the outskirts of the city. [1] Another name, much less popular, is the Monument to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The sculpture was designed by Victorio Macho, [2] and it is also the location of his tomb.

Contents

Description

The Christ seems to be in a position to bless the city. It was built in 1931 according to the project of sculptor Victorio Macho. It has a style reminiscent of Art Deco with Cubist resonances and echoes of ancient Egyptian art in the hieratic pose of the figure.

It is one of the highest statues of Jesus Christ in the world. At his feet is carved a chapel (called Santa Maria del Otero) and a small museum with items by the architect. At the entrance to the chapel is a small terrace and a gazebo there is the view of the city.

The initial project wanted to embed in the eyes of Christ blocks of ivory and marble, but the budget was insufficient, so the empty sockets presented today became windows.

His great verticality and slenderness may be because it is designed to be seen from below. One can also interpret this work as a vertical column conform in contrast to the horizontality of the Castilian countryside, covered with grain and sprinkled with poplars and oaks.

Initial design

The initial project by Macho was a statue 21 meters tall with head, arms and feet of bronze and a body decorated with large golden tiles. The arms of Christ, which are currently raised as a sign of protection, were to go sideways at an angle of about 40° to the body. In the end, the project was restructured to lighten the sculpture.

Height

There is an ongoing discussion about the official height of the Cristo del Otero. The exact height is not known. According to the brochures of City Hall, Christ is more than 20 meters high.

Hermitage and museum

Tombstone of Victorio Macho Lapida Victorio Macho.jpg
Tombstone of Victorio Macho

The feet of Jesus has a hermitage and museum. The small museum contains:

In the chapel, supported by many columns and completely whitewashed, one can contemplate:

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Christ the Redeemer</i> (statue) Statue of Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Christ the Redeemer is an Art Deco statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, created by French sculptor Paul Landowski and built by Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa, in collaboration with French engineer Albert Caquot. Romanian sculptor Gheorghe Leonida sculpted the face. Constructed between 1922 and 1931, the statue is 30 metres (98 ft) high, excluding its 8-metre (26 ft) pedestal. The arms stretch 28 metres (92 ft) wide. It is made of reinforced concrete and soapstone. Christ the Redeemer differs considerably from its original design, as the initial plan was a large Christ with a globe in one hand and a cross in the other. Although the project organisers originally accepted the design, it later changed to the statue of today, with the arms spread out wide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Ordway Partridge</span> American sculptor, teacher and author

William Ordway Partridge was an American sculptor, teacher and author. Among his best-known works are the Shakespeare Monument in Chicago, the equestrian statue of General Grant in Brooklyn, the Pietà at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan, and the Pocahontas statue in Jamestown, Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Randolph Rogers</span> American sculptor

Randolph Rogers was an American Neoclassical sculptor. An expatriate who lived most of his life in Italy, his works ranged from popular subjects to major commissions, including the Columbus Doors at the U.S. Capitol and American Civil War monuments.

<i>Cristo Rey</i> (Mexican statue)

Cristo Rey is a statue on top of Cerro del Cubilete,, a 200 metres (660 ft) mountain in Silao Municipality in Guanajuato, Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christ the King (Almada)</span> Church in Setúbal District, Portugal

The Sanctuary of Christ the King is a Catholic monument and shrine dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ overlooking the city of Lisbon situated in Almada, in Portugal. It was inspired by the Christ the Redeemer statue of Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil, after the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon visited that monument. The project was inaugurated on 17 May 1959. The giant statue was erected to express gratitude because the Portuguese were spared the direct destructive effects of World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louis-Pierre Deseine</span> French sculptor

Louis-Pierre Deseine (1749–1822) was a French sculptor, who was born and died in Paris. He is known above all for his portrait busts and imaginary portraits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jilma Madera</span> Cuban artist (1915–2000)

Jilma Madera was a well-known Cuban sculptor. Her two most famous works are the Christ of Havana and the bust of José Martí at the Pico Turquino.

<i>Christ of Havana</i>

The Christ of Havana is a large sculpture representing Jesus of Nazareth, on a hilltop overlooking the bay in Havana, Cuba. It is the work of the Cuban sculptor Jilma Madera, who won the commission for it in 1953.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gregorio Fernández</span> Spanish artist (1576-1636)

Gregorio Fernández was a Spanish Baroque sculptor. He belongs to the Castilian school of sculpture, following the style of other great artists like Alonso Berruguete, Juan de Juni, Pompeyo Leoni, and Juan de Arfe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raffaello Romanelli</span> Italian artist (1856–1928)

Raffaello Romanelli was an Italian sculptor, born in Florence, Italy.

<i>Cristo Redentore</i>

The Statue of Christ the Redeemer of Maratea is a statue of Jesus Christ in Maratea, southern Italy, realized in Carrara marble on the top of the Mountain “St. Biagio".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">La Laguna Cathedral</span> Church in Tenerife, Spain

The Cathedral of San Cristóbal de La Laguna or Catedral de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios is a Roman Catholic church in Tenerife, Spain. Begun in 1904 and completed in 1915, it is dedicated to the Virgin of Los Remedios. The cathedral is the mother church of the diocese, which includes the islands of Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. It is therefore where the episcopal seat of the bishop of this diocese, currently occupied by Bishop Bernardo Álvarez Afonso. This is one of the most important churches of the Canary Islands.

<i>Christ of the Mercy</i>

The Christ of the Mercy is a colossal statue of Jesus Christ in the city of San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua, to a height of 134m above sea level . The statue is located high above the northernmost seawall in the bay of San Juan. At the foot of the statue is a small chapel. Information: Inside the chapel, the full name of the work is provided, along with text dating the construction to 2009. As of January of 2017, the entrance fee is $2 for foreigners and $1 for Nicaraguan nationals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tommaso Solari</span> Italian sculptor

Tommaso Solari was an Italian sculptor active in a Romantic-style.

<i>Cristo Rey</i> (Colombian statue) Statue in Cali, Colombia

Cristo Rey is a statue 26 meters tall located in the Cerro de los Cristales in the village of Los Andes, west of the city of Cali, Valle del Cauca, Colombia. The hill is so named because of the large amount of quartz that could be collected in the surrounding area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victorio Macho</span> Spanish sculptor

Victorio Macho was a renowned 20th century Spanish sculptor. He is considered to be one of the greats of modern Spanish sculpture. His style was influenced by art deco. His home and workshop in Toledo was converted into a museum dedicated to his work, the Victorio Macho Museum, after his death. He has been featured on a postage stamp of Spain.

<i>Veiled Christ</i> 1753 sculpture by Giuseppe Sanmartino

The Veiled Christ is a 1753 marble sculpture by Giuseppe Sanmartino exhibited in the Cappella Sansevero, Naples, Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">André César Vermare</span> French sculptor

André-César Vermare was a French sculptor, known for his war memorials and monuments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sculpture in the Renaissance period</span> Sculture during the Renaissance period

Renaissance sculpture is understood as a process of recovery of the sculpture of classical antiquity. Sculptors found in the artistic remains and in the discoveries of sites of that bygone era the perfect inspiration for their works. They were also inspired by nature. In this context we must take into account the exception of the Flemish artists in northern Europe, who, in addition to overcoming the figurative style of the Gothic, promoted a Renaissance foreign to the Italian one, especially in the field of painting. The rebirth of antiquity with the abandonment of the medieval, which for Giorgio Vasari "had been a world of Goths", and the recognition of the classics with all their variants and nuances was a phenomenon that developed almost exclusively in Italy. Renaissance art succeeded in interpreting Nature and translating it with freedom and knowledge into a multitude of masterpieces.

References

  1. Anna Kathryn Kendrick; Meagan Michelson; Daniel Barbero (25 November 2008). Let's Go 2009 Spain & Portugal with Morocco. St. Martin's Press. p. 167. ISBN   978-0-312-38573-6.
  2. "Efemérides de Cultura para el 23 de diciembre (Efemérides de Cultura para el 23 de diciembre)." Notimex 22 Dec. 2010: 1. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 27 June 2014.