The Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) statue has attracted the attention of many tourists ever since the first statue was erected several years ago. It takes a long time and the process is not easy. However, the whole long process paid off when GWK finally became one of the popular tourist destinations after its inauguration in September 2018.

Garuda Wisnu Kencana Interesting Facts

The Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue is located in the province of Bali. To be precise, the iconic GWK statue can be found at the Garuda Kencana Cultural Park or GWK in Ungasan village, South Kuta, Badung, Bali.

The location is quite easy to reach, only 10-15 minutes away from Ngurah Rai International Airport. If you are traveling towards Uluwatu, you will most likely pass by the site of this magnificent statue.

GWK is not only a popular tourist destination, but it also has a number of interesting facts. Facts that tourists need to know to be even more amazed when they visit there. Here are some interesting facts that have been summarized:

1. Standing Tall After 28 years in The Making

The Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue was created by Nyoman Nuarta. The construction of the GWK was started in 1989. At that time, Nyoman together with Ida Bagus Oka as the then Governor of Bali and 2 other personalities Joop Ave (Minister of Tourism, Post and Telecommunication) and IB Sudjana (Minister of Mining and Energy) initiated the construction of GWK.

In 1990, the GWK project was approved by President Soeharto. Unfortunately, construction was halted due to the 1998 currency crisis in Indonesia. It wasn't until 2013 that the first stone was laid. The making of the GWK statue went through a very long process and was inaugurated only after 28 years. The cost of making it also reached 450 billion rupiah.

2. Raw Materials Used

The surface material of the Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue is copper metal. It is known that the total amount of copper used reaches 25,000 square meters. The surface of the statue is also plated with brass.

The raw material copper was chosen because it is considered the easiest and most durable. Where the use of a layer of brass is intended as reinforcement because copper is also easy to move. Reinforcement with a layer of brass is done after the sculpture is finished.

3. Composed of 754 modules

The construction process of the GWK involves many workers and materials. At least a thousand workers are involved in the construction of the Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue. From a distance, the GWK appears to be made up of hundreds of modules. To be precise, there are 754 modules, each measuring 4×3 meters and weighing about 1 ton.

4. GWK Philosophy

The GWK statue depicts the figure of Lord Vishnu riding Garuda. In Hinduism, Lord Vishnu is the protector of the universe. The Garuda bird symbolizes selfless devotion and loyalty. For Indonesia itself, the Garuda is also a symbol of the country's independence.

The word kencana in the name Garuda Wisnu Kencana means gold. The gold mosaic is presented as the crown of Lord Vishnu. The gold color also successfully becomes the center of attention of the GWK because it contrasts with the base color of the statue as a whole.

5. One of the Tallest Statues in the World

It is known that the Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue has a height of 121 meters and a width of 64 meters. With this height, it is not surprising that the GWK statue can be seen from a number of tourist destinations in Bali, even those that are quite far away.

The GWK statue is one of the tallest statues in the world. Its size successfully surpassed the height of the Statue of Liberty in America, which is 93 meters high.

GWK’s Trip Excitement

There is an entrance ticket for tourists whose prices are different for domestic tourists and foreign tourists. Where when vacationing with Bali Tour Package tourists do not need to be confused with ticket problems. Because the entrance ticket is usually included in the cost of travel, so just enter and enjoy the vacation moments.

There are many excitements that tourists can enjoy when visiting the Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue, including

• Watching dance performances. There are no less than 7 dances that are usually displayed such as Balinese dance, Barong Keris dance, to Kecak Garuda Wisnu. GBK managers arrange the show schedule so that tourists can enjoy it freely.
• Watch a movie at Garuda Cinema.
• Use the GWK loop to get around to see the large statues, this is highly recommended as the GWK area reaches 60 hectares.
• A visit to GWK is not only a vacation, but also a history lesson. On several walls of the GWK there are reliefs with historical information.
• Enjoy the routine program held by the GWK management. Several routine events such as salsa dancing, live music and fire dancing are ready to pamper tourists.

Of course, there are many other exciting things that tourists can do. The epic and beautiful scenery in the Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue area also provides many Instagrammable photo spots. Therefore, travelers planning a Uluwatu Tour must include GWK as one of the destinations.