GWK Cultural Park
GWK (Mandala Garuda Wisnu Kencana) is a large cultural center carved out of limestone. The main attraction of this center is the statue of Vishnu, the supreme God in Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism.
This is the upper body of the statue of Vishnu. Notice the woman at the right corner for reference in height. Vishnu's arms have been set aside temporarily in another location within GWK.
In Hindu mythology, Vishnu is often seen mounted on a Garuda, a lesser Hindu divinity. Garuda is depicted as having a golden body, white face, red wings, and an eagle's beak, but with a strong man's body. He wears a crown on his head. He is ancient and has size enough to block out the sun.
Only the Garuda's head and shoulders have been built as of this time.
This is how the final statue will look like. The final statue is expected to be taller than the Statue of Liberty.
The plan for GWK was to have a 146 meter gold plated Vishnu riding his winging chariot Garuda and have the whole thing on top of an 11 storey entertainment complex. A large amphitheater will also be found at the foot of the statue. It will be used to stage concerts, shows and other festivals.
A peace memorial statue is found at the end of the amphitheater.
The whole area has been carved out of limestone. Some sections of the limestone have images carved on it.
The art museum is located close to a small shop selling refreshments. The surrounding areas of the shops are littered with fountains and pools.
The center was targeted to finish last 2003, but the Bali bombings has slowed down the development. The new target is 2010, but it seems that this will be further moved due to the still low number of tourists visiting Bali.Adventure Travel Asia: Bali, Indonesia (GWK)
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