Cristo Rei of Dili

딜리 크리스투 헤이

The Cristo Rei of Dili is a 27 m statue of Christ with open arms, standing on a globe atop the Cape Fatucama headland. Climb its roughly 570 steps for a sweeping view over Dili's bay and beaches.

See it on the 3D globe →

At a glance

Country: Timor-Leste
Location: Cape Fatucama, Dili, Timor-Leste
Built: 1996
Height: 27 m
Type: Statue

Quick answers

Where is Cristo Rei of Dili?

Cristo Rei of Dili is in Cape Fatucama, Dili, Timor-Leste.

When was Cristo Rei of Dili built?

Cristo Rei of Dili was built in 1996.

How tall is Cristo Rei of Dili?

Cristo Rei of Dili is about 27 m tall.

The Cristo Rei of Dili, or Christ the King of Dili, is a 27 m statue of Jesus Christ standing on top of a globe on Cape Fatucama in Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste. It is one of the country's main tourist attractions.

The statue was officially unveiled by President Suharto of Indonesia in 1996 as a gift from the Indonesian government to the people of what was then the Indonesian province of East Timor. Its height of 27 m stood for East Timor as Indonesia's 27th province. It stands at the end of the Fatucama peninsula, with the sea on several sides.

How it was made

The idea came from the governor of East Timor, who suggested it to Suharto. Indonesia's national airline, Garuda, led the project and raised money. The design and building were handled by Mochamad Syailillah, known as "Bolil", who had never built a big statue before.

The body was made in Bandung, Indonesia, from 27 separate copper sections by 30 workers in nearly a year. They were then shipped to Dili and put together.

Climb to the top

From the car park at Cristo Rei Beach, a concrete staircase of about 570 steps shaded by trees leads up the cape. The card on the globe says roughly 590 steps.

From the base of the statue there are wide views over Dili Bay, across the strait to Atauro Island and down to the beach called Jesus Backside Beach. Jesus Backside Beach faces the Wetar Strait.