The statue under the water of the Christ of the Abyss of San Fruttuoso in Italy

The open arms and the head up to the surface, the bronze statue of Christ of the Abysses is one of the most beautiful diving spots in the world!

The Christ of the Abysses is surely one of the most famous underwater constructions in the world. This gigantic statue, measuring almost 2 meters 50 and weighing about 260 kg while bronze represents Christ the open arms like the Christ Redeemer Rio de Janeiro.

The origins of Christ of the Abyss

The one we call Il Cristo Degli Abissi locally rests in fact 17 meters deep in the bay of San Fruttuoso Camogli , not far from Genoa Italy. Nearby is the San Fruttuoso Abbey of Capodimonte, another place of interest in the area.

This remarkable statue that attracts many divers every year is far from being an archaeological vestige. The famous diver Duilio Marcante wished to pay tribute to his deceased friend, Dario Gonzatti who was the first Italian diver to use a complete modern dive equipment. Alas, Dario died during a dive in 1947 in Fruttuoso Bay.

Duilio Larcante, very marked by the sudden death of his dive friend, took a diving equipment and went to sit on a rock in a seabed of the promontory of Portofino, in the province of Genoa.

He stayed for a few moments to swim and think about this sudden disappearance and thought of the various people who worked and lived from the sea with the risks it generates daily. He noted that there was no symbol, no stele for all those people who died at sea.

Duilio Marcante presented his project to the president of the Italian Sports Centre, Jack Costa, to the religious authorities and received the approval of Pope Pius XII to erect the famous statue of Christ of the Abysses. It was on 22 August 1954, with the assistance of the Italian Navy, that the statue was laid and inaugurated 17 meters deep.

A submarine tribute

The statue of Christ of the Abyss thus represents Christ, the arms open as a sign of redemption, the head lifted to the surface of the water. Today, this statue is the symbol and monument dedicated to all victims at sea.

Every year, on the last weekend of August, a ceremony is commemorated to remember. The procession takes place during the night, in the light of the only torches. Divers immerse themselves in the place where Christ stands to laurel a crown.

This statue is an excellent dive spot and is the subject of numerous underwater visits by divers as well as anonymous people from all over the world visiting the region come to pay tribute to it.

It should be noted that the original of the statue is made of clay and was abandoned in a foundry in Italy until 1993.

Because of the corrosion and growth of the crustaceans, the statue was brought back to the surface in 2003 to be completely restored, and to replace one of those hands that had been detached because of an anchor. It was returned to water in July 2004 for the happiness of divers across the planet.

How to dive and see the Christ of the Abyss?

It is possible to dive and swim alongside Christ of the Abysses thanks to the diving center "San Fruttuoso Diving Center" ( ).

Main photo credit: Gente di Mare News