Tierra Santa, Religious theme park in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Tierra Santa is a religious theme park in Buenos Aires, designed by Fernando Pugliese and opened in December 1999. It is a large reproduction of Biblical Jerusalem: visitors walk its streets past scenes from the life of Jesus and representations of the Christian, Jewish, Roman and Arab cultures that coexisted in the city. A bearded Jesus in a pale-blue robe with a dark red sash stands with arms outstretched on a reddish-brown rocky mound, a thin ring above his head, palms and a column behind him.

Tierra Santa opened in December 1999, designed by Fernando Pugliese as a temporary display for Holy Week that was later built permanently. It is among the world's first religious theme parks, after Holy Land USA (1955). In 2000 it was blessed by Jorge Mario Bergoglio, then Archbishop of Buenos Aires and later Pope Francis.

The park displays elements from three major religions through a mosque, synagogue, and various Christian representations on its grounds. Visitors can explore these religious structures side by side and compare their different architectural styles.

Tierra Santa sits in the Buenos Aires neighbourhood of Villa Urquiza, not north of the city, so check the address before setting out. The 18-metre Jesus statue rises from behind its rock on the hour, so time your walk through the biblical Jerusalem streets to catch it. Allow a couple of hours for the whole circuit.

The 18-metre Jesus figure rises from behind a rock every hour on the hour, a moment some visitors treat as solemn and others mock online as kitschy. The park also holds statues of 20th-century figures such as Pope John Paul II and Mother Teresa, added, staff say, to honour people who worked for peace.