Definition of Christ the Redeemer

In the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro there is a 713 meter high hill, the Corcovado hill. At its top is a statue of Christ with open arms known as Christ the Redeemer.

Data of interest

The draft from his building It was started in 1921 and it was the French sculptor Paul Landowski who erected this monumental sculpture. The reason of its construction was the commemoration of the 100 years of independence from Brazil.

The work required to erect Christ the Redeemer lasted ten years. It must be taken into account that its height reaches 30 meters and its weight is greater than 1,100 tons (the statue is on a base 8 meters high). It is made of a single material, granite. As for its architectural style, it belongs to Art-Deco.

Visitors and tourists can access the interior of the statue through a staircase. During this tour you will find a stone in the shape of heart and inside there is a list of all those who worked in the construction of Christ the Redeemer. It must be remembered that during its construction there were no victims among the workers.

Curiosities to observe

- In 2007 it was chosen as one of the seven wonders of the modern world.

- The entire statue is hollow, except for the hands.

- The arms of Christ the Redeemer are not the same size, since the left one is 40 cm smaller than the right. This difference is not due to an error, but rather that the statue was designed so that it could withstand the force of the wind.

- The works for its construction were not carried out in Brazil, but were carried out in France.

- The Christ the Redeemer project began in the 19th century when Brazil was a territory colonial of Portugal.

- At present it is a monument visited by about 2 million tourists a year.

- Its appeal does not disappear at night, since the statue is illuminated in some special celebrations in the city.

- From the hill where it is located it is possible to see practically the entire city of Rio de Janeiro.

The seven wonders of the modern world

In addition to Christ the Redeemer, the remaining wonders of our time are the following: Chichen Itza on the peninsula of Yucatan, the Coliseum in Rome, the Great Wall of China, Machu Picchu in Cuzco, Petra in Jordan and the Taj Mahal in India.

Photos: Fotolia - Curioso / Kateja

Themes in Christ the Redeemer