Portuguese 
Spanish 
Financed by businessman Gagik Tsarukyan, the world’s largest statue of Jesus is expected to reach 101 meters on Mount Hatis, near Yerevan. The project plans to be assembled by trucks, aims to transform Christianity into a tourist brand of Armenia, and faces criticism from the Apostolic Church and environmentalists regarding scale and location.
The world’s largest statue of Jesus is being prepared in Armenia to occupy the top of Mount Hatis, an elevation of approximately 2,500 meters located about 25 kilometers from Yerevan. Financed by businessman Gagik Tsarukyan, the monument is expected to reach 101 meters and remains unfinished after works started in 2022.
The information was published by The Guardian on June 21, 2026. The project is presented by Tsarukyan as a future tourist and religious reference for the country, but faces resistance from representatives of the Armenian Apostolic Church and environmental groups concerned about the scale of the construction and its effects on the mountain.
Monument aims to be seen from large parts of Yerevan
The location at the top of Mount Hatis was chosen to enhance the visibility of the structure. If completed according to the disclosed project, the white figure of Jesus could be observed from different points of the Armenian capital and nearby areas.
-
The Netherlands closed an old entrance of the North Sea with a 32 km wall, dumped 27 million mÂł of sand and 15 million mÂł of glacial clay to transform saltwater into a freshwater lake and create a road over the sea.
-
With 2,000 tons of steel and self-supporting shelves, Havan is building a R$ 250 million expansion in SC at the largest distribution center in Latin America, a complex the size of 28 football fields that sorts 20,000 boxes per hour.
-
Few people know, but the tallest statue of the Virgin Mary in the world is 98.15 meters tall, is located in the Philippines, and functions as a habitable tower facing the sea.
-
Reaching 12.7 trillion reais and growing 2.3% in 2025, Brazil’s GDP confirmed the fifth consecutive year of expansion, driven by the extractive industry and services that supported household consumption.
The combination of the monument’s 101 meters and the mountain’s altitude will create a much greater presence than the isolated measurement of the statue. The endeavor intends to use the landscape as part of its visual scale, transforming the natural elevation into a base for a large-scale attraction.
World’s Largest Statue of Jesus Will Surpass Brazilian Monument
With a planned height of 101 meters, the structure will be considerably taller than the Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro. The comparison with the Brazilian monument has been used by the financier to demonstrate the international scale he intends to attribute to the Armenian project.
Tsarukyan also states that the world’s largest statue of Jesus will stand slightly above the Statue of Liberty in New York when considering the total height presented for the new monument. The symbolic competition for dimensions is part of the strategy used to draw international attention to the construction.
Structure Began Assembly Far from the Top
Although the final destination is Mount Hatis, parts of the statue were initially produced and assembled at a construction site on the outskirts of Yerevan. At the site, the figure appears surrounded by cranes, workshops, stones, and equipment used in manufacturing.
During the visit reported by the publication, the upper part of the monument was already standing out over the site, but the ensemble was still far from its final configuration. The existence of the large pieces does not mean that the installation on the mountain is complete, as the most complex phase involves transportation, foundation, and assembly at altitude.
Transport by Helicopter Was Dismissed by the Team
The initial plan was to take components of the statue to the top using helicopters. However, this alternative was abandoned due to practical difficulties and the dimensions of the pieces that needed to be moved.
The chosen solution involved trucks capable of transporting the parts up the mountain before the final assembly. The movement of giant elements through an elevated area will require suitable access, heavy equipment, and planning to avoid damage during the journey.
Project Remains Unfinished Since the Start of Construction
Construction began in 2022 but progressed intermittently. Four years later, the world’s largest statue of Jesus had not yet been installed at its definitive point, despite the production of important parts of the figure.
The absence of a confirmed completion date leaves doubts about the schedule. The challenge is not limited to the image’s fabrication, as it includes land preparation, transportation of parts, structural assembly, and creation of the necessary infrastructure to receive visitors.
Entrepreneur predicts 10 million tourists per year
Tsarukyan claims that the monument could attract up to 10 million visitors annually. The number corresponds to an expectation disclosed by the financier himself, and not an independent projection proven by publicly presented tourism studies.
The intention is to turn the site into an attraction known outside Armenia and associate the country with its Christian history. To achieve this flow, however, the project would depend on roads, parking, security, lodging, food, and the ability to organize large volumes of visitors in a mountainous region.
Christianity would be transformed into a national brand
Armenia is traditionally considered the first state to officially adopt Christianity, in 301. Tsarukyan uses this history to justify why the country should host the world’s largest statue of Jesus.
According to the proposal, the monument would function as a new national calling card, combining religion, identity, and tourism. The strategy seeks to transform a historical heritage into an immediately recognizable monumental image, capable of circulating in photographs, videos, and international campaigns.
Local church questions scale and religious language
The Armenian Apostolic Church has expressed opposition to the project, considering that its scale and style do not correspond to the traditional forms of Christian expression in the country. The institution highlights the historical importance of churches, monasteries, and stone crosses known as khachkars.
These elements use architecture, sculpture, and symbolism unique to Armenian culture, without relying on colossal human figures. The religious critique does not reject the presence of Christianity in public space, but questions whether a gigantic monument adequately represents the local tradition.
Environmentalists warn of changes on Mount Hatis
Environmental groups claim that the implementation could cause permanent changes to the natural landscape. The preparation of access routes, movement of trucks, foundation works, and installation of tourist infrastructure may interfere with the soil and the visual aspect of the mountain.
The actual impact will depend on the construction methods, the limits of the area used, and the protective measures adopted. As the project intends to occupy a high and visible point, any transformation in the terrain may also be perceived from a long distance.
Noah’s Ark integrates plan for new attractions
The statue is not the only biblical-themed construction planned by the entrepreneur. Nearby, the development of a Noah’s Ark with 134 meters in length, 24 meters in width, and 18 meters in height has also begun.
The proposal includes a museum on the ground floor, a hotel on the first floor, and a café on the second. The association between the two ventures indicates the intention to create a tourist complex, and not just an isolated monument on top of the mountain.
Dimension divides residents and keeps future open
Some Armenians see the construction as an opportunity to expand the country’s international projection. Others consider the scale excessive and question whether a monument of this size should become the main representation of the national Christian heritage.
While the pieces remain at the construction site and the installation on Mount Hatis is not completed, the project continues between ambition and uncertainty. In your opinion, could the world’s largest statue of Jesus strengthen Armenia’s tourism or does its size exceed the limits of the landscape and local tradition? Leave your comment.
