Cristo Redentor de los Andes
A bronze Christ said to be cast from old cannon, put on the border in 1904 to mark a war that did not happen.
Updated 21 October 2026
Chile and Argentina came close to war over their Andean boundary at the end of the nineteenth century, and when the dispute was settled by British arbitration in 1902 the peace was marked by putting a monument on the watershed: a bronze Christ about seven metres high, said to be cast partly from melted-down cannon, though some historians doubt it, hauled up by mule and rail and unveiled in March 1904 at about 3,830 metres on the Uspallata pass. The inscription says that these mountains will fall to dust before Chileans and Argentines break the peace sworn at Christ's feet. Traffic now goes through the tunnel below; the old road to the statue is open only in summer.
History
The bishop of Cuyo, Marcelino del Carmen Benavente, promised a statue of Christ the Redeemer to remind Argentina and Chile of peace, and the Buenos Aires sculptor Mateo Alonso made it, a seven-metre bronze first shown in the patio of the Lacordaire School in Buenos Aires. After the agreements of May 1902, Ángela Oliveira Cézar de Costa and the bishop had it taken to the pass José de San Martín had crossed in 1817: in 1904 it travelled 1,200 kilometres in pieces by train and then by mule, the granite pedestal by Molina Civit was finished on 15 February 1904, and the statue was unveiled on 13 March 1904 (Wikipedia, Christ the Redeemer of the Andes).
What's there
- A bronze Christ of about seven metres - said to be cast partly from old cannon.
- Raised in March 1904 - to mark a war settled by arbitration.
- At about 3,830 metres - on the watershed border.
- An oath in the inscription - the mountains to fall before the peace breaks.
When to go
January to March, when the old pass road above the tunnel is open. Half a day.
What to expect
The road to the monument is a rough switchback and open only in high summer - most of the year the statue is unreachable. Altitude, wind and cold apply even in January. There are no facilities at the top.
Nearby
Portillo is below on the Chilean side; Mendoza is over the pass.
Key facts
Source: Wikidata, item Q69992, read on 18 October 2026.
What to pack for Cristo Redentor de los Andes
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
- Layers for big temperature swings - Warm sun by day, near-freezing at night, even near the equator. Find on Amazon
- Comfortable walking shoes - Sightseeing means kilometres of pavement and cobbles daily. Find on Amazon
- Extra-strong sun protection - Thin air means fierce UV; hat, sunglasses and high-SPF sunscreen. Find on Amazon
- A slim anti-theft daypack - Zips that close properly; keep it in front in crowds and on transit. Find on Amazon
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