Corcovado | Christ the Redeemer

Brazil is proud of its Christianity and nothing says so more than their erection of the Christ the Redeemer statue. The Christ the Redeemer statue was the largest Art Deco statue in the world from 1931 until 2010. The 30 metre tall statue stands on an 8 metre high pedestal. The figure's arms stretch out to a magnificent 28 metres in width. It can be seen from just about anywhere in Rio de Janeiro, and has been named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

It is 635 tonnes in weight and is made of reinforced concrete and soapstone. The entire statue took nine years to construct at the top of Corcovado mountain. It was finally dedicated to Christ on 12 October 1931. A chapel under the statue was consecrated on 12 October 2006 making it possible for baptisms and weddings to be held there. The honour of being named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World happened on 7 July 2007. The pose of the statue, with open arms, is a symbol of peace.

The statue was a collaborative project between a number of artists and engineers. The design of the statue was done by Heitor da Silva Costa and the main sculpting was the work of Paul Landowski. The face of the statue was the work of Gheorghe Leonida. A restoration project was completed in 2010 and involved a hundred people and more than sixty thousand pieces of stone. These pieces of stone were taken from the exact same quarry as the stone for the original statue.

The statue of Christ the Redeemer is not just an amazing piece of engineering and art. It has been featured in a number of video games. Some of the more popular games include Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X, Angry Birds Rio and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. The statue was also featured in Micheal Jackson's music video for "They Don't Care About Us" and Snoop Dogg's "Beautiful". You can see the statue in popular movies such as The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 and both animation films in the Rio series.

The trip up to the top of Corcovado is definately something to be experienced. We recommend taking the train ride (Trem do Corovado) up as it offers a unique and memorable experience and it presents some absolutely fantastic views of the city and its surroundings. The fare is quite reasonable. For the best views try to get a seat on the right side of the train during the ride up. If possible, go on a clear day and once you reach the top, be sure to take time to soak in the fantastic vistas that surround you. Scroll down the page to discover more of what this entire experience is like.

If you prefer a guided tour with transportation, following tour offers excellent value as it includes transportation to visit the Christ the Redeemer Statue followed by a walking tour of downtown Rio.