Almada’s Cristo Rei opens late for sunset experience

For the first time since it opened in 1959, the National Sanctuary of Cristo Rei in Almada will remain open until sunset, allowing visitors to enjoy evening views across Lisbon and the Tagus estuary.

The extended opening hours will apply on eight dates over the next four weekends, from July 17 to August 8, with the sanctuary staying open from 10am to 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays instead of its usual 7pm closing time.

The initiative aims to offer “a cultural and spiritual alternative during the coolest hours of the day”, according to the sanctuary.

Perched 133 metres above the River Tagus, Cristo Rei is one of Portugal’s best-known landmarks and offers panoramic 360-degree views encompassing the 25 de Abril Bridge, Lisbon and the south bank of the river.

During the extended opening period, all facilities will remain operational, including the monument’s lift, panoramic viewing platform, chapel, café and shops.

The special opening hours will apply on July 17, 18, 24, 25 and 31, and August 1, 7 and 8.

Admission to the monument costs €10 for visitors aged 13 and over and €3 for children aged between eight and 12. Tickets can be purchased at the monument’s ticket office.

The temporary initiative offers visitors the rare opportunity to experience one of the country’s most iconic viewpoints as the sun sets over Lisbon.

About Cristo Rei

The National Sanctuary of Cristo Rei stands on the south bank of the River Tagus in Almada and is one of Portugal’s most recognisable landmarks.

The idea for the monument was conceived by Cardinal-Patriarch Manuel Gonçalves Cerejeira after visiting Rio de Janeiro in 1934 and seeing the famous Christ the Redeemer statue on Corcovado Mountain.

Construction was later championed by Portugal’s Catholic bishops as a national thanksgiving after the country was spared the devastation of the Second World War. The foundation stone was laid in 1949 and the monument was inaugurated on May 17, 1959.

Designed by architect António Lino, engineered by Francisco de Mello e Castro and featuring a statue sculpted by Francisco Franco, the sanctuary rises 110 metres above the ground and offers panoramic views over Lisbon, the 25 de Abril Bridge and the Tagus estuary.

Inês Lopes

Newspaper editor at The Portugal Resident