The statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro existing in Brazil, inspired, in 1934, during a visit to that city, the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon, then Manuel Gonçalves Cerejeira, to build a similar monument in Lisbon.

The monument to Christ the King was also built in fulfillment of a vow made ​​by the Portuguese episcopate gathered at Fatima on April 20, 1940, asking God to rid Portugal to participate in World War II.