Poland Unveils Massive Statue of the Virgin Mary, Tallest in Europe

A small Polish village launched on Saturday a colossal statue of the Virgin Mary, believed to be the tallest in Europe. It was funded by one of Poland’s wealthiest businessmen.

The 55.6-meter-tall statue was unveiled in Konotopy, a town in central Poland with a population of fewer than 150 residents. The statue’s height includes a crown-shaped base measuring 15 meters.

Although its location is less prominent, the statue surpasses the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which stands 38 meters tall including its base.

It also exceeds the height of another religious statue in Poland, Christ the King, unveiled in 2010 in the town of Swiebodzin in western Poland, which rises approximately 52 meters above ground on the hill where it stands.

There is a taller statue of the Virgin Mary in the Philippines, measuring around 98 meters. However, the new statue is said to be the largest of its kind in Europe.

The statue was commissioned by the wealthy couple Roman and Grazyna Karkusik, who live in a small palace a few kilometers from Konotopy.