National Sanctuary of Christ the King

The National Sanctuary of Christ the King stands at Almada, high above the Tagus facing Lisbon. Its official history traces the idea to Cardinal-Patriarch Manuel Gonçalves Cerejeira, who was inspired in 1934 after seeing Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro. Portuguese bishops approved the project in 1937.

During the Second World War, at Fátima on 20 April 1940, the bishops made a religious vow that a monument to the Sacred Heart of Jesus would be erected if Portugal were spared direct involvement in the war. This vow belongs to the documented institutional history of the shrine; the interpretation of Portugal’s wartime experience as divine protection is a statement of Catholic belief rather than a demonstrable causal claim.

The foundation stone was laid in 1949, construction followed in the 1950s, and the monument was inaugurated on 17 May 1959. The figure of Christ was created by sculptor Francisco Franco, while António Lino and engineer Francisco de Mello e Castro were responsible for the project. The sanctuary is now part of the Diocese of Setúbal and remains an active centre of devotion to the Sacred Heart and Christ the King. Alongside liturgy and prayer, visitors use the elevated terrace for wide views over Lisbon and the Tagus.