Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) Cultural Park in Bali is set to revive the landmark project of the huge statue of Vishnu, the Hindu god of creation, riding the mythical bird Garuda.
Following an acquisition by PT Alam Sutra Realty (ASR) in 2013, the park’s management company PT Garuda Adhimatra Indonesia (GAIN) has started building a new statue, which will be finished by 2017.
Since the project started in 1997, the park development has been stagnant due to a lack of funds, the Asian financial crisis in 1998 and political changes.
The new statue will weigh 4,000 tons. It will trump the 93-meter Statue of Liberty in the US in terms of size.
The Statue of Liberty and the statue of Jesus in Brazil are slim. The GWK statue is planned to be bulkier and grander with magnificent carvings.
Nestled at one of the vantage points in southern Bali, the huge statue will be visible from 20 kilometers away, including from Tanah Lot.
A museum will also be built, displaying the documentation of the statue’s two decades of development.
