The statue of Christ the Redeemer stands in the former capital of Brazil, Rio de Janeiro. In 2007, it was included in the list of "New Seven Wonders of the World". It is 38 metres high, weighs 1145 tonnes and has an arm span of 30 metres. It is built on Corcovado Mountain, which means "Brokeback Mountain". It got its name because of its shape.
In 1859, the holy father Pedro Maria Boss arrived in Rio de Janeiro. He was so amazed by the beauty of Mount Corcovado that he proposed building a religious monument on its summit. The idea was approved and the construction of a railway leading to the top of the mountain began. The railway was finished by 1884. And the construction of the statue was postponed.
History of the monument
The construction of the giant monument was again discussed in 1921. It was then that it was decided that it would be a huge statue of Christ. The opening of the monument was planned to coincide with the centenary of Brazil's independence, which was to take place a year later. A fundraiser was announced all over the country. And after the money was raised, construction began.
The project was originally drawn by Brazilian artist Carlos Oswald. In his maquette, the pedestal looked like a globe, with Christ standing on it with his arms outstretched. The monument looked like a large cross. Later, engineer Eitor da Silva Costa changed the shape of the pedestal to a more classical form. Due to the impossibility of creating such huge monuments in Brazil, they were built in France. As a result, French sculptor Paul Landowski took part in the process of creating the figure. All the components of the sculpture were transported by sea and then delivered to the top of the mountain by railway. A staircase with 223 steps leads from there to the final installation site. It is called "Snail."
On 12 October 1931, the monument was unveiled and consecrated. In 1965, the statue of Christ the Redeemer was consecrated by Pope Paul VI. Subsequently, the statue has been reconstructed several times, and in 2003 the ascent was equipped with escalators.
Nowadays, the Statue of Christ the Redeemer is a visiting card of Rio de Janeiro. Tourists from all over the world appreciated the bold project of Brazilian architects and engineers and now it is one of the most visited sights in the world.
On a side note
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Location: Rio de Janeiro, Rua Cosme Velho, 513.
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Official website: http://www.corcovado.com.br
