Garuda Wisnu Kencana

A 121 m statue of the Hindu god Vishnu riding the mythical bird Garuda.

The statue was completed in August 2018 and opened by President Joko Widodo on 22 September 2018. With its pedestal it is about 121 metres tall, which makes it the tallest statue in Indonesia. The statue alone stands 75 metres tall and 65 metres wide, and it was designed by the Balinese sculptor Nyoman Nuarta. The idea for it first appeared in the 1990s.

What story does it tell?

The monument is inspired by a Hindu tale about the search for Amrita, the drink of eternal life. In the story Garuda agrees to carry Vishnu in exchange for the right to use the elixir to free his enslaved mother. Some religious leaders on Bali worried that the huge monument might disturb the island's spiritual balance, but others welcomed it as a new attraction.

What else is in the park?

The park covers about 60 hectares and sits 263 metres above sea level, a 10-to-15-minute drive from Bali's main airport. Behind Plaza Wisnu is Garuda Plaza, with an 18-metre-tall Garuda head. A corridor of carved limestone pillars surrounds a large space called Lotus Pond, which can hold up to 7,000 people for events. People walk through the park to see the huge statue rising above the limestone and the large open spaces around it.

On the globe

The model shows a statue of Vishnu riding the great bird Garuda. Look for the god on the bird's back with wings spread.