JOIN RIO - Advice & Information

Christ the Redeemer - General background:

When thinking about Rio de Janeiro, it is almost automatic the association we tend to make with the Statue of Christ, also known as Christ the Redeemer (in portuguese, O Cristo Redentor). Being 39.6 meters high (130 ft), and 30 meters (98 ft) wide –from one hand to the other-, it is among the monuments of this type, almost the tallest in the world.

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Christ the Redeemer is placed on the top of Corcovado mountain –at an altitude of 700 meters (2300 ft)- and attracts thousands of tourists who travel to Rio every year to delight its beauty and panoramic view, as well as its christian symbolism. The Statue of Christ in Rio was voted in many quests as one of the New 7 Wonders of the world. 

The idea of placing a Statue of Christ at the top of Corcovado came up in 1850. However, it wasn’t until 1921 that the idea was finally set in motion, when  the Catholic Circle of Rio proposed it and consecutively organized the Semana do Monumento ("Monument Week") in order to raise funds to support the building costs. 

The Statue of Christ, made of reinforced concrete and soapstone, was designed by the brazilian Heitor da Silva Costa, and sculptured by french Paul Landowski. The construction of Christ the Redeemer Statue took 10 years, from 1922 to 1931.

How to get there:

The trip to reach the Statue of Christ starts in the Cosme Velho 513 Street, where the totally updated and revitalized Cosme Velho Station is located. There you will be able to buy tickets for the red trains that go to the top of the hill, or you can also take a taxi. Our recommendation is to take the train, its tour through the Atlantic Rainforest offers breathtaking views, and you may also experience an exciting trip along the steep way, nothing comparable to the taxi tour. Such trains leave every 30 minutes, and take you uphill in a straight-up ride of 17 minutes.

Once you get to the top of Corcovado mountain, you may have to prepare yourself to a 220 steps climb, in order to reach the foot of the Christ statue. Finally, the view from up there of Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon, Botanical Garden, the Jockey Club and the Lagoon, will make you feel grateful and satisfied of making all that effort.

There are four escalators available to finally get to the Christ Redeemer, which, as well as the three panoramic elevators, were installed in 2002 as part of a process of revitalization and mechanization of the landmark.   

For more information about Christ the Redeemer or other attractions in Rio, contact us  and we will gladly send you further material about any subject of your interest. We will e-mail this information at no cost within 72 hours and it will be specific to your requirements.

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