Located on the peak of Corcovado Mountain in the Tijuca National Forest Park in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Christ the Redeemer There is a 30 meter high statue of Jesus Christ. This iconic monument was unveiled in 1931 and is listed as one of the Seven New Wonders of the World. It provides visitors with a spectacular view of the beautiful city and surrounding landscape. Boarding a cog train or minibus from Santa Teresa is the easiest way to reach the top of Corcovado which will give you the perfect opportunity to take some beautiful photos from the top of the mountain to make your visit memorable.
About Christ the Redeemer
Christ the Redeemer is 30 meters tall, excluding its 26-foot pedestal and 92-foot outstretched arms. This religious statue weighs approximately 635 tons and is considered a symbol of the wonderful city of Rio de Janeiro. This is the fifth largest statue of Jesus Christ in the world. The right hand of the statue points towards south Rio de Janeiro and the left hand towards north Rio de Janeiro.
Creation of Christ the Redeemer
Christ the Redeemer, begun in 1922, took nine years to complete. Built of concrete and soapstone, this 5th tallest statue of Jesus in the entire world was officially inaugurated on 12 October 1931. The credit for the construction of this statue goes to Heitor da Silva Costa. He was the winner of the competition that was organized for its construction. Paul Landowski further refined the design of this eye-catching masterpiece. height of christ the redeemer Is 38 meters.
History of Christ the Redeemer
Earlier in the 1850s, a local Catholic priest named Pedro Maria Boss had suggested building a religious monument, a request for financing was rejected because Princess Isabel of Brazil was not too impressed with the idea. Later in the early 1920s, a group called the Catholic Circle of Rio started a petition called Semana do Monumento, which became a huge success and resulted in the construction of this iconic statue of Jesus Christ.
7 Essential Facts About Christ the Redeemer
In 2007, a worldwide survey was conducted to designate various amazing man-made structures in the world as Wonders of the Modern World. Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil It received overwhelming support and was chosen as one of the 7 Wonders of the World:
1. Christ the Redeemer: Architecture and Design
The initial sketch of this iconic and magnificent monument was completely different from what we see today. The initial sketch, designed by da Silva Costa, shows Christ holding a giant cross in one hand and a globe in the other. Although the statue was appreciated by the organizers of the project, it soon received a playful name “Christ with a Ball”, which led to a new design that we see today: Christ with arms wide open. .
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2. Christ the Redeemer: Secret Purpose
Behind every historical monument there is a story that led to its birth. Christ the Redeemer was born in the year 1920 out of the fear of “Godlessness” after World War I. After Brazil became a republic in 1889, church and state were separated as Brazilians saw the statue as a way to reclaim Rio. To counter the drastic decline of the state, Catholics believed they needed a symbol to restore the faith and ward off “godlessness”.
It was the year 1920 when Heitor da Silva Costa was chosen as the engineer for the statue of Christ, later known as Christ the Redeemer – a statue overlooking the city located on the top of Mount Corcovado Magnificent statue. statue of christ the redeemer Stands as a universal symbol of peace and love as preached by Jesus Christ. The statue’s wide arms symbolize bringing everyone together. It also symbolizes the local people’s devotion to Jesus.
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3. Christ the Redeemer: Restoration
Christ the Redeemer has endured the wear and tear caused by nature over the years. Various restorations have been carried out to maintain the statue in its full glory. This huge statue was struck by powerful lightning in 2008, causing some damage to the head, fingers and eyebrows of the statue. Although the lightning was very powerful, due to the soapstone’s insulation, most of its power fell to Earth. The monument suffered some damage in 2014 also. In fact, it was very close to the World Cup 2014 when lightning damaged the back of Pratima’s head and severed the tip of her finger. Immediate corrective action was taken to repair the damage.
4. Christ the Redeemer: The Early Years
The massive structure of the statue required equally strong support which could be achieved by the use of reinforced concrete. Reinforced concrete is one of the very few materials that can provide the support required by statute due to its strong design, which was initially the choice. However, da Silva Costa and others feared that the concrete might be too rough for the image of Christ and the monument would fail.
It was then that da Silva Costa was inspired by a fountain along the Champs Elysees in Paris. The tiles used for this fountain are perfectly lined up to highlight the graceful curves of the fountain, just as da Silva Costa wanted for the statue. The project plans were immediately updated and the architects chose soapstone to create the tiles. More than 6 million tiles were used for this giant Jesus Christ statue, making it unique. According to the BBC, workers who were involved in the construction often wrote about back-making christ the savior of brazil A treasure trove of hidden messages.
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5. Christ the Redeemer: Changing Color
The statue of Christ the Redeemer was constructed using very rare soapstone found in the area. Its color is bright white and that is why the statue appears to be shining in the moonlight. But over the years, the luster of the statue will diminish due to weather, pollution and rust. Every time any repair work is done, engineers are using darker colored stone because it is difficult to find the original color of the stone.
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6. Christ the Redeemer: Chapel at the Base
In 2006, a chapel was built at the base of the statue to commemorate its 75th anniversary. In fact, anyone can get married in this chapel. The chapel is quite small and has limited space inside. Also to reach the top, one has to take a cog train followed by a lift and finally escalators.
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7. Christ the Redeemer: Barbarism
The statue suffered tragic damage in 2010, which was seen as a “crime against the nation”. When the statue was being renovated, some acrobatic graffiti artists vandalized the statue. He wrote everywhere including the head, hands and chest of the idol. While the incident shocked all of Rio, Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes described the act as a “crime against the country”. The saboteurs eventually confessed and surrendered themselves.
Best time to meet Christ the Redeemer
You can visit this beautiful tropical country all year round. But it is advisable to avoid Christmas and local festival season as it can be crowded. Opt to visit in the off season or during non-monsoon months. Once you reach the location, don’t miss going to the top, it is worth the effort. You can go either early in the morning or late in the evening to get the best view of the city.
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The giant statue of Christ the Redeemer is a symbol of Brazil’s national pride. The government has many concerns when it comes to the restoration and conservation of the statue. In 2017, the statue was renovated. The statue is protected from lightning and moisture which builds up within and destroys the metal skeleton. Be sure to visit this historic site on your trip to South America.
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FAQ about Christ the Redeemer
Why is Christ the Redeemer one of the seven wonders?
Christ the Redeemer is one of the seven wonders because it was voted to be one of the wonders.
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