Christ the Redeemer Statue – Cristo Redentor (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

The world-famous statue of Cristo Redentor, meaning ‘Christ the Redeemer’, is the largest Art Deco-style statue in the world. Cristo Redentor was built in Rio de Janeiro, the capital of the federal state of the same name, situated in Guanabara Bay in south-eastern Brazil. It stands atop the 700-metre (2,300 ft) peak of Corcovado Mountain in Tijuca National Park.

Construction of this world-renowned masterpiece began in 1922 in Rio de Janeiro, then the country’s capital, to mark the 100th anniversary of Brazil’s independence. The official opening ceremony took place on 12 October 1931. Standing 38 metres tall including its base, the Christ the Redeemer statue is equivalent in height to a 13-storey building. Whilst the head alone weighs 30 tonnes, the entire statue weighs 1,145 tonnes. It is said that the size of its foot could fit a size 530 shoe. The interior of the monument is used exclusively by the maintenance team.

The statue was designed by engineers Heitor Silva Costa and Albert Caquot, and artist Carlos Oswald, and sculpted by Paul Landowski. The face of the statue was carved by Gheorghe Leonida. Concrete was used as the construction material, whilst the outer layer is made of soapstone. The Christ the Redeemer statue differs significantly from its original design. Although it was originally planned as a large statue holding a globe in one hand and a cross in the other, it was later transformed into its current form. Christ the Redeemer symbolises peace with his outstretched arms.

On 10 February 2008, during a severe storm, the statue was struck by lightning, causing damage to its fingers, head and eyebrows. Due to the damage caused by the strong winds and lightning strikes the statue is occasionally exposed to, periodic maintenance work is required on this colossal structure. However, the statue is robust enough to withstand even the winds of a Category 5 hurricane.

The colossal statue, which embodies the sentiments and blessings of the Brazilian people, also blends perfectly with Rio de Janeiro’s breathtaking scenery. Voted one of the ‘New 7 Wonders of the World’ on 7 July 2007, the Christ the Redeemer statue is visited by approximately 2 million people annually.