Cristo del Sagrado Corazón

The Statue

It’s hard to miss the large statue of Jesus that watches over the Pacific surf spot K38 just south of Rosarito. Standing 75 feet tall, Cristo del Sagrado Corazón (Christ of the Sacred Heart) is the only large statue of Jesus in the world in full color—the others are white or monochromatic. This behemoth of a statue was raised in 2006 and weighs in at 40 tons, made of steel and fiberglass.

The Background

The statue was commissioned by local Antonio Pequeño Guerrero and was designed by Tijuana sculptor Gregorio Ramirez. Pequeño Guerrero wanted to give something to the community as a token of gratitude after one of his sons died. It was important to Pequeño Guerrero that the statue prominently display Jesus’ sacred heart, which is depicted in color on his chest and also lends itself to the name of the statue (the sacred heart is a Catholic devotion where the heart of Jesus is viewed as a symbol of God’s infinite love).

The summit where the statue now stands used to feature a small cross where locals would place flowers on holy days. Pequeño Guerrero spent seven years working on getting the statue built. He was 75 years old and in ill-health by the time the statue was unveiled in 2006. He died not long after seeing his dream come to fruition and was laid to rest near the landmark.

How To Visit

You can drive right up to the base of the statue if you want to check it out up close and check out the beautiful Pacific views as well. From the free road at K38, cross east under the highway bridge located near Robert’s K38 Surf House into the El Morro neighborhood. Take the first left after the bridge to lead you up the hill toward the statue. GPS 32.26541, -116.99514