The Great Cross of Christ, Jumonville, Pennsylvania, USA Content from the guide to life, the universe and everything

The Great Cross of Christ, Jumonville, Pennsylvania, USA

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Located at Jumonville, Pennsylvania, USA, this huge steel cross is the largest in the world.

Dedicated on 9 September, 1950, the 60-foot high cross stands on top of a six-foot tall concrete base on Dunbar's Knob. On a good day you can see three states, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio from the base of the cross.

The surface is steel plate, almost half an inch thick, which is painted white. At night, the cross is bathed in floodlights and can be seen for miles. The foundation is made from approximately 180 tons of concrete. The main shaft of the cross weighs about 47,000 pounds. The cross arms project 12 feet on either side of the main shaft. All three parts were assembled on the mountain top and put into place on the concrete base.

The money to build it was donated before World War II by hundreds of Methodist Churches, much of the money was collected in pennies from Sunday School children.* And once the money was finally raised, the steel shortage forced by the war meant that the project was postponed until the late 1940s*.

The cross is part of the Jumonville Methodist Training Centre. Visitors can reach on foot by following the macadam path to the top of the mountain. The path is rather steep in places, but there are several benches along the way on which the weary can rest. The top of the mountain is open and exposed to the winds which whip across the site* so visitors are advised to bring a jacket.


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