Christ the Redeemer
by Paul Landowski, 1931
Details
- Year
- 1931
- Medium
- Reinforced concrete and soapstone
- Size
- 30 m (98 ft) tall, excluding pedestal
Paul Landowski, a French sculptor, designed the figure of Christ the Redeemer that towers over Rio de Janeiro from the summit of Corcovado mountain. Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa conceived the monument and oversaw its construction between 1922 and 1931. The statue has become Brazil's most iconic image.
Christ stands with arms outstretched, embracing the city below, his robes flowing in stylized Art Deco folds. The figure is constructed of reinforced concrete clad in soapstone tiles, chosen for their durability and light color that contrasts with the dark granite peak. The statue faces east, greeting the sunrise over Guanabara Bay and the Atlantic beyond.
The monument rises 30 meters tall (98 feet), excluding its 8-meter pedestal, making Christ's total height 38 meters above the mountaintop. Arms span 28 meters (92 feet). Visitors reach the summit via cog railway or road, then climb steps or take elevators and escalators to the base. The statue was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007, joining the Colosseum and Taj Mahal among modern pilgrimage sites.
About Christ the Redeemer
The statue stands 30 meters (98 feet) tall, with an 8-meter (26-foot) pedestal beneath it. The outstretched arms span 28 meters (92 feet) wide. It weighs about 635 metric tons. The head alone weighs 30 tonnes. The statue sits 710 meters above sea level on top of Corcovado mountain in Rio de Janeiro, making it visible from much of the city below.
Reinforced concrete covered in a mosaic of soapstone tiles. Workers cut the soapstone into six million small triangular pieces, glued each one by hand onto a mesh backing, then applied the panels to the statue's surface. French-Polish sculptor Paul Landowski designed the overall form, Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa oversaw construction, and Romanian sculptor Gheorghe Leonida carved the face.
Construction ran from 1922 to 1931. The statue was dedicated on October 12, 1931. The idea for a large religious monument on Corcovado had been floated since the 1850s, but it didn't gain real momentum until after World War I. The project was largely funded by the Catholic Church in Brazil and private donations. Protestant groups opposed it at the time.
It's one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, chosen in a global poll in 2007. The original Seven Wonders were ancient sites (only the Great Pyramid still exists). The New Seven Wonders list also includes Machu Picchu, the Colosseum, the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China, Petra, and Chichén Itzá.
Most visitors take the Corcovado Rack Railway, a 20-minute scenic train ride through the Tijuca National Park rainforest. You can also reach it by official van or authorized taxi. The train departs from Cosme Velho station. Buy tickets online in advance during peak season. At the top, escalators and elevators take you to the base of the statue. The views of Rio, Sugarloaf Mountain, and Guanabara Bay are worth the trip alone.
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