Urbici Soler
El Paso, El Paso County, Texas
Marker Inscription
A master sculptor, Urbici Soler apprenticed under artists in his native Spain before studying and working in Germany, southern Europe, South America, and Mexico. In 1937 he came to El Paso to begin work on the statue "Cristo Rey," which stands on a mountain peak overlooking the city. Soler later taught at the Texas College of Mines (now the University of Texas at El Paso) and died in his home at the base of the mountain upon which "Cristo Rey" was placed. Recorded - 1983
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Trained in his native Spain and seasoned by work across Germany, southern Europe, South America, and Mexico, the master sculptor Urbici Soler came to El Paso in 1937 to carve "Cristo Rey," the towering figure that crowns a mountain peak above the city. He went on to teach at the Texas College of Mines, forerunner of the University of Texas at El Paso. He died in his home at the foot of the very mountain his masterwork commands.
Why it matters
Soler's story reflects the international artistic talent drawn to the American Southwest, leaving a landmark that still defines El Paso's skyline.
The story behind this marker
AI contextThe era
El Paso has always been a meeting place. It sits in a mountain pass on the Rio Grande, where Texas, New Mexico and the Mexican state of Chihuahua come together, and for centuries travelers, traders and missionaries passed through on the road between Mexico and the north. By the early twentieth century, El Paso and Ciudad Juárez across the river had grown into one of the largest border communities in North America, closely linked by family, faith and commerce.
The 1930s were hard years along the border, as everywhere in the country. The Great Depression brought unemployment and hardship, and many Mexican and Mexican American families in the region faced additional pressure, including deportation and repatriation campaigns. Even so, it was also a time of ambitious public and community building projects, as towns across the country turned to construction and art to give work and hope.
Religious life ran deep in the region. Catholic traditions dating back to the Spanish missions remained strong among El Paso's large Hispanic community. A great statue of Christ on a mountain overlooking the borderland was a project that spoke to that faith, and to a desire for something lasting and unifying in a difficult decade.
People & events
Urbici Soler's path to El Paso was a long one. Born in Spain, he learned his craft as an apprentice to artists there, then studied and worked in Germany and across southern Europe before carrying his skills to South America and Mexico. By the time he reached the Texas border, he was a seasoned master of monumental sculpture.
In 1937 he came to El Paso to begin the work that would define his life: 'Cristo Rey,' or Christ the King, a great limestone figure of Christ with arms outstretched atop a mountain peak overlooking the city. Raising a monument on a rugged desert summit was an enormous undertaking, and local volunteers and supporters helped bring it to life. The finished figure became the landmark that gave the mountain its name.
Soler did not leave once his masterpiece was done. He stayed and taught at the Texas College of Mines, the school that eventually became the University of Texas at El Paso, passing his knowledge on to a new generation in the Southwest. He made his home at the base of the mountain where his statue stands, and he died there. It is hard to imagine a more fitting end for an artist than living out his days in the shadow of his greatest work.
Its place in the American story
Soler's story is a reminder that American art has often been shaped by immigrants who carried old-world traditions into new places. A sculptor trained in the workshops of Europe brought his skills, by way of Latin America, to a border city in Texas, and left behind a monument that now feels entirely local. That journey reflects the deep ties between the American Southwest and the wider Spanish-speaking world.
'Cristo Rey' also belongs to a broader tradition of monumental religious statues raised in the twentieth century, of which the famous Christ figure above Rio de Janeiro is the best known. Placed on a peak near where three states and two nations meet, Soler's statue has become a symbol of shared faith across the border. Pilgrims climb the mountain each year, a tradition that has carried on for generations.
Finally, his teaching at the College of Mines connects his story to the growth of higher education in the Southwest. The small mining school he taught at became a major university serving the border region, and artists like Soler helped broaden what students there could learn.
If you visit
You can see 'Cristo Rey' from many points around El Paso, standing on its peak against the desert sky. It is worth seeking out a few different viewpoints as you drive through the city, especially near sunrise or sunset, when the light catches the stone and the mountains turn gold and rose.
The statue is reached by a trail up the mountain, which sits just across the state line in New Mexico. It is a real desert hike: bring water, sun protection and sturdy shoes, and check current conditions and access guidance before you go. The view from the top takes in the river, the city and the Mexican border beyond, which is the best way to understand why Soler's work belongs to the whole region.
Pair a visit with time on the UTEP campus, where Soler once taught, and the historic mission churches along El Paso's Mission Trail. Together they tell the story of faith, art and learning in one of America's great border cities.
Written by AI to add context, grounded in the marker’s inscription and the historical record. The inscription above is the original, unaltered text.
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Themes & tags
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