Statues of Jesus are multiplied throughout the Western and Christian world and when they rise on top of mountains or hills they become popular destinations. If you can only think of the Christ the Redeemer of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, today I have a similar one for you but in Mexico: the Beaker hill.
At the top of this Mexican hill is the monumental statue of the Christ of the Mountain So if one day you go on a trip to Mexico and you want to know something more than its dream beaches or its valuable archaeological sites, how about doing this excursion? Here we leave you insights about the hill, its statue, how to get there and other tips.
Beaker hill
It is a hill that is in the state of Guanajato, one of the states that make up Mexico and which is located in the north central area of the country. This state has had a lot of importance in the Mexican political historical evolution since it is the cradle of national independence, here the final stages of the Mexican Revolution have been defined and it is also a zone rich in mining and agriculture.
The hill is only 20 kilometers from the capital of Guanajato, the city of Silao, and 42 from the city of Guanajato itself. It has a height of 2579 meters of altitude. It was inside a private territory but its owner, a lawyer and a well-known member of the Mexican Revolution, ended up donating it because he had a relationship with the person who promoted the construction of the monument. This project dates back to the second decade of the XNUMXth century and although it started lukewarm some years later the church opted for something more monumental.
However, the history of Cristo del Cerro del Cubilete is checkered since, for example, at one point the works were dynamited, under the government of Plutarco Elías Calles, who did not like construction. But when the political ups and downs in Mexico calmed down a bit, the works continued and in 1944 the inaugural stone was placed again. In 1950 the project was completed and the monument received the bishop's blessing.
The Christ of the Mountain
The statue It is about 20 meters tall and weighs 80 tons. It is the largest statue of Christ in the world built in bronze. The work bears the signature of two national architects, Piña and González, and both the building and the sculpture, made by the sculptor Fidias Elizondo, are from art deco style. Many of the remains of this sculptor are in marble or concrete, so this bronze one is a particularity in his professional career.
At the foot of the statue there is a basilica that is shaped like a globe and a great capacity to house worshipers. There are also eight columns here representing the eight ecclesiastical provinces of the country. Inside there is a round plant with three tiers where the altar is and over it, hanging, an enormous metal crown that looks at the circular vault in whose holes there are plates of Colombian marble so fine that it lets in light.
Outside is the huge Christ surrounded by two angels More smalls. The symbolic set rests on a concrete hemisphere that symbolizes the universe and has terrestrial parallels and meridians marked. In turn, the sphere, semi-sphere, rests on those eight columns that represent the eight ecclesiastical states of the country. The Christ is looking towards the city of León.
This It is one of the most visited Christian sanctuaries in Mexico, especially the last Sunday of the year of the liturgy, in November, which is the feast of Christ the King. Many people also attend on January 5 when a mass is celebrated in the courtyard of the church, the child Jesus and the Three Wise Men are represented and horsemen arrive with banners representing the nearby towns. Also on the first Sunday in October many pilgrims are received. If you do not fall on any of these special dates any day you go you can attend Mass at 6 in the afternoon.
How do you get to Cerro del Cubilete? There's a highway and a highway so if you go by car it is very easy to get there. You leave the car downstairs and walk up but of course there are buses That you can take in Silao or Guanajato or you can hire a tourist tour that takes you and brings you. Down the hill you will see many regional stalls, for souvenirs or drinks or food, so making the way will be entertaining.
But is there something else to see nearby? Well, yes Guanajato It is a very beautiful state and its mining past has been honored in 1988 by UNESCO by declaring the former mining town a Heritage. Here we must go up to the Pípila viewpoint to appreciate the landscape. Unforgettable.