Christ in the Smokies

In 2008, Christus Gardens in Gatlinburg closed. The wax figure collection, which told the story of the life of Jesus Christ, was sold to a Christian television network and the location was marked for condo development.

Those condos were never built and now, an entirely new exhibition has gone into the site.

Developers blame the economic impact of the economy for the past year for postponing the condo development. So developers and local artists joined forces to creat Christ in the Smokies Museum and Gardens.

The business, which opened on September 24, features items acquired from around the country. Local artists Mark Pedro and Dale Gillespie worked to mold and design the new attraction.

Joe Waggoner, who was the manager of Christus Gardens for the past 25 years, will serve as director of Christ in the Smokies.

"Gatlinburg is very fortunate to have local peole with a vision and financial commitement to re-open this type of attraction in town," Waggoner said in a release. "There was a lot of interest from church groups and tour companies that wish to add this to their itinerary."

Some of the key players in the re-opening of the attraction are Charlie Moore, who served as principal of the project, and Billy Proffitt.

Christ in the Smokies features an all-new collection of more than 100 wax figures that were purchased from museums and collections all over the world. It includes a replica of Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper that dates back to the 1930s and has been featured at a number of World Fairs over the years.

Christ in the Smokies Museum & Gardens is open year round from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. It's located at 510 River Road in Gatlinburg. For more information visit their website or call (865) 436-5155.