Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue

Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue

8°48′50″S 115°10′01″E / 8.813951°S 115.166882°E / -8.813951; 115.166882
Location	Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park, Indonesia
Designer	Nyoman Nuarta[1]
Type	statue
Material	copper and brass sheet, steel frame, reinforced concrete core
Width	66 m (217 ft)
Height	122 m (400 ft)
Beginning date	1993[2]
Completion date	31 July 2018
Opening date	22 September, 2018
Dedicated to	Garuda and Vishnu

Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue (also known as GWK statue) is a 121-meter tall statue located in Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park, Bali, Indonesia. It was designed by Nyoman Nuarta and inaugurated in September 2018. The total height of the monument, including the 46-meter base pedestal is 121 m (397 ft). The statue was designed to be Indonesia’s tallest statue, and is inspired by an event that finds its roots in Hinduism about Garuda's search for Amrita, the elixir of life. According to this story, Garuda agreed to be ridden by Vishnu in return for the right to use the elixir to liberate his enslaved mother. The monument was completed on 31 July 2018 and inaugurated by Indonesian President Joko Widodo on 22 September 2018.^[3][4] It is the tallest statue of a Hindu deity and the tallest statue in Indonesia.

Construction took twenty-eight years and around $100 million.^{[citation needed]}