Officials in the Brazilian city of Encantado have begun building a statue of Jesus about 16 feet[16 m]higher than the famous Christ the Redeemer statue that overlooks Rio de Janeiro for decades.
CNN reported Monday that a Brazilian organization called the Friends of Christ Association is leading the project in southern Brazil, which has already begun construction of a 141-foot-tall statue of Jesus Christ with outstretched arms like the Cristo Redentor statue .
The new statue is named Christ the Protector and will be the third tallest statue of Jesus in the world, after a 172-foot statue in Poland and a massive 253-foot statue being built in Mexico.
The goal of the project, which is funded by individual and corporate donations, is to promote the tourism industry in the region, according to CNN.
Tourists visiting the completed project will be able to take a lift to a glass lookout in the upper body of the statue where photos can be taken, the project supervisor told the news network.
The head and arms of the statue were attached earlier this month and the project will be completed by the end of the year. Construction for the project began in 2019.