Poland builds tallest statue of Mary in Europe

In the small village of Konotopie, Poland, a massive 55-metre (180-foot) statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary is nearing completion.

Once finished, it will become the tallest Marian statue in Europe — and the second-tallest in the world, right behind the 98-metre Mother of All Asia – Tower of Peace in the Philippines.

The towering concrete and steel monument is being funded by Polish billionaire Roman Karkosik at an estimated cost of 100 million zlotys (around €23 million).

Construction began in March 2025, and the statue is scheduled to be blessed and unveiled on August 15 — the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Even while still under construction, pilgrims and curious visitors have already started arriving by the busload.

Locals hope the giant statue will turn their quiet community into a major pilgrimage destination, bringing both spiritual renewal and economic growth to one of the poorer municipalities in the region.

Parish priest Fr. Marek Mrowczynski expressed the deeper hope many share:

“We hope this place will bear the fruits of a deeper return to faith, or at least help people deepen their faith.”

Not everyone is convinced. Some nearby residents feel the large sum of money could have been better spent on hospitals or orphanages. Yet for many of the faithful who come to gaze up at the unfinished monument, the sheer scale itself is already a powerful reminder of Mary’s maternal presence.

In a time when even strongly Catholic Poland is experiencing rapid secularization, this bold project stands as a public act of devotion — a visible sign that faith still dares to build something monumental for Our Lady.