Christ the Redeemer

Christ the Redeemer stands like a giant guardian with arms stretched wide on top of Corcovado Mountain, watching over the beautiful city of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil! This incredible statue is 98 feet tall (as tall as a 9-story building) and weighs as much as 635 cars. You can see it from almost anywhere in Rio, and it looks like Jesus is giving the whole city a big, welcoming hug.

Christ the Redeemer statue with arms outstretched overlooking Rio de Janeiro city and beaches, with tourists at the base for scale. Image Credit: Raphael Nogueira, Unsplash

Built in the 1920s, this amazing statue took 9 years to complete and was made by hundreds of workers who had to carry all the materials up the steep mountain using a special cog train. The statue is made of reinforced concrete and covered with over 6 million tiny soapstone tiles that help it stay bright white and resist the weather. Each arm spans 92 feet wide - you could park 12 cars end-to-end across both arms!

Getting to the statue is an adventure itself! Visitors can ride a cog train that climbs straight up the mountain through the lush rainforest, or take a van on winding roads. At the top, you can walk around the base and enjoy breathtaking views of Rio's famous beaches, Sugar Loaf Mountain, and the sparkling Atlantic Ocean far below.

View from behind the statue showing the steep Corcovado Mountain and the city of Rio spread out far below. Image Credit: 4FLY RJ

Christ the Redeemer shows us how faith and art can create monuments that bring people together and become beloved symbols of their cities!