Big Vishnu, Statue and tourist attraction in Ungasan, Indonesia
Big Vishnu, also known as Garuda Wisnu Kencana, is a 46 m tall statue in Ungasan, on the Indonesian island of Bali, made from copper, steel, and reinforced concrete. It depicts the Hindu god Vishnu riding Garuda and stands within a large cultural park that includes open plazas, gardens, and performance spaces.
The idea for this statue came in the 1990s, proposed by Joop Ave, Indonesia's minister of tourism at the time, who wanted to create a cultural landmark for Bali. Construction stretched over many years under sculptor Nyoman Nuarta, whose team assembled the copper pieces in Bandung before shipping them to Bali.
Vishnu is the protector in the Hindu tradition, and this statue shows him riding Garuda, a divine eagle-like creature. Visitors familiar with Hindu art will recognize the typical attributes held in his hands, such as a conch and a disc.
It is worth walking around the full grounds to see the statue from different angles, as the copper surfaces catch the light and look different depending on where you stand. Daytime visits give the best view, and comfortable shoes make the walk across the open plazas much easier.
The original design called for the statue to be much taller, but religious and community leaders on Bali pushed for the height to be reduced out of concern that too large a structure might disturb the island's spiritual balance. The copper pieces were not assembled on site but fabricated and pre-assembled in Bandung, on the island of Java, before being transported to Bali.
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