Construction is ready to start this week on what’s being described as Britain’s largest Christian monument, after the team behind the project met an initial £40 million fundraising goal.
The Eternal Wall of Answered Prayer, to be built near Coleshill between the M6 and M42 motorways outside Birmingham.
It will stand at 51 metres tall – greater than twice the peak of the Angel of the North – in the form of a Möbius strip.
The monument shall be manufactured from a million bricks, each linked to a story of “answered prayer” that could be accessed via smartphones. Organisers said about 120,000 such stories have already been submitted from 125 countries.
A groundbreaking ceremony is happening on Wednesday. The monument is anticipated to open to the general public in 2028 when it’s hoped it’ll feature a complete of 250,000 prayer stories.
The project has received support from greater than 20,000 donors worldwide, in line with its developers.
Richard Gamble, a former Leicester City football club chaplain who founded the initiative, said he first conceived the concept greater than 20 years ago and spent the past 10 years gathering support.
“I’m delighted we’re making a monument that may share 1,000,000 stories of hope and that folks will give you the option to find Jesus, who listens to and answers prayer. We have faced many delays and challenges. I feel the timing is ideal,” he said.
“Everyone at Eternal Wall is deeply grateful to the 1000’s of people that have backed this project in line with their ability – for each pound donated, every hour volunteered, and each prayer offered to bring us thus far.
“This is the moment to construct a landmark of hope… a long-lasting testimony to the ability of prayer, preserving the Christian heritage in our nation.”
The project has been designed by Snug Architects, chosen through a Royal Institute of British Architects competition, with VSL appointed because the essential contractor.
Land for the monument was donated by IM Properties, owned by Midlands businessman Lord Edmiston, whose company also contributed to the development costs.
Organisers expect the location to draw about 250,000 visitors annually once accomplished. The plans include ten acres of landscaped grounds, a parking lot and, in later stages, a visitor centre and conference facility.
An additional £5.7 million continues to be needed to finish the location’s infrastructure, the group said.
Lord Edmiston said: “Eternal Wall is designed to remind our nation, and folks all over the place, of God’s goodness.
“It is a testament to present and future generations of the creator of the universe who has answered quite a few prayers over centuries past and still is answering them today.
“If we don’t remember the God who stood by us in our darkest hours as a nation, then we’re condemned to have a future absent of his divine guidance and protection. I’m due to this fact proud that my company has had the chance of being a major donor to this project.”
