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Giant Buddha Statue Bigger Than Christ The Redeemer Unveiled In Brazil

A giant statue of Buddha that is bigger than Christ the Redeemer has been unveiled in Brazil.

The giant Buddha statue was unveiled at the Morro da Vargem Zen Monastery in the municipality of Ibiracu in the Brazilian state of Espirito Santo on 28th August.

The statue was completed in October 2020 with plans to unveil it in April this year, however, the COVID-19 pandemic pushed the date back until the weekend.

The 35 metre Buddha statue at the Zen Buddhist Monastery in Ibiracu, Brazil, was inaugurated this Saturday (28 August). (Newsflash)

The 35-metre (115-feet) high structure, made of iron, steel and concrete, weighs around 350 tonnes.

It is considered the second largest Buddha statue in the world, just under the Leshan Giant Buddha in China, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996.

The statue is also larger than the Christ the Redeemer statue in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, which is 30 metres (98 feet) tall excluding the base.

The 35 metre Buddha statue at the Zen Buddhist Monastery in Ibiracu, Brazil, was inaugurated this Saturday (28 August). (Newsflash)

In December 2020, the statue received a spiritual baptism in accordance with Buddhist rites to give ‘soul’ to the monument.

Despite delays to the inauguration due to the pandemic, the huge statue had already become a tourist attraction as it sits next to the BR-101 motorway on full view for passing motorists.

According to the Zen monastery, around 4,000 visitors are expected to see the statue every weekend.

The 35 metre Buddha statue at the Zen Buddhist Monastery in Ibiracu, Brazil, was inaugurated this Saturday (28 August). (Newsflash)

There is no time limit for visitors and no entrance fee.

Buddhism was introduced to Brazil by Japanese immigrants in the early 20th century.

The country’s Buddhist population was estimated at 250,000 last year.

The 35 metre Buddha statue at the Zen Buddhist Monastery in Ibiracu, Brazil, was inaugurated this Saturday (28 August). (Newsflash)

Brazil has the third-largest Buddhist population in the Americas, after the USA and Canada.

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