Statue of Christ the Redeemer
Escadaria do Corcovado - Santa Teresa, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 22241-200, Brazil
Description:
The statue of Christ the Redeemer is an amazing landmark of the world, which has been considered the hallmark of Brazil for 80 years. In 2007, it was included in the list of “New 7 Wonders of the World”. The height of the statue is 38 meters, the span of Christ’s hands is 30 meters, the weight of the sculpture is more than 1145 tons. From the foot of the statue opens a panorama of the city and the bay with the picturesque Sugar Head Mountain, the famous beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema, a huge bowl of the Maracana stadium.
A bit of history. In 1921, the approaching centenary of Brazil's national independence (1822) inspired the fathers of the city - Rio de Janeiro was then the capital of Brazil - to create a monument to Christ the Redeemer.
The original sketch of the monument was designed by artist Carlos Oswald. He suggested that the statue should resemble a large cross. Jesus’ posture was chosen with open arms. The final sketch of the statue was designed by Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa.
The opening and lighting of this monument took place on October 12, 1931, later in 1965 the Statue of Christ the Redeemer was illuminated by Pope Paul VI. Subsequently, the statue has undergone several repairs and modernization, and in 2003, the ascent was equipped with escalators. You can also get to the statue by car on the highway passing through the state reserve of Tijuca. Tijuca is the largest forest in the world, located in the city.
