The statue of Christ in Rio de Janeiro is rightfully considered the main attraction of the city, as well as one of the symbols of freedom and peace throughout the world. Moreover, the Brazilian statue is on the list of seven newest miracles light, sharing this honorary title with such well-known attractions as the Roman Colosseum, the Mexican Chichen Itza, the Great Chinese Wall and other celebrities.

Curious facts about the statue of Christ in Rio de Janeiro

- - The idea of erecting such a monument in the city was first put forward in the distant 50s of the 19th century by a Catholic priest named Pedro Maria Boss. However, at that time he failed to bring the project to life. Later, in 1921, the idea of building a religious monument was put forward for public consideration again - this time, with the combined efforts of the city's Catholics, they managed to achieve their goal. It is from this moment that the history of the now famous statue of Christ the Savior begins.
  - After 9 years of painstaking work (raising funds and directly erecting the statue), on October 12, 1931, this miracle was installed on the top of Mount Corcovado. The main construction materials chosen by the chief engineer of the project, Heitor da Silva Costa, were reinforced concrete and soapstone - reliable and sustainable components.
  - How much did it cost to build the symbol of Rio de Janeiro? An amount approximately equivalent to modern 3 million dollars was spent on the construction of the monument.
  - The height of the statue is 3 meters (to be very precise, 30.1 m) + a support 6 meters high, the width of the Brazilian Jesus is 19 meters, the monument weighs about 635 tons. Thanks to its favorable location at the top of the 700-meter Corcovado mountain in good weather The statue of Christ can be seen from the center of Rio and the beaches of Copacabana. For example, I had the opportunity to observe the main attraction of the city from the Sheraton hotel room where I was staying. By the way, the foot of Mount Corcovado is located at a distance of about 6 km from the hotel.

Serious damage to the statue was caused by a lightning strike on February 10, 2008 - fragments on the eyebrows, head and fingers of the monument were damaged. After the incident, the lightning rod system was restored, and the damaged fragments were restored.

Another incident befell the reinforced concrete Christ in April 2010, when, through the efforts of vandals Paulo Sousa Dos Santos and his partner Edmar Batista de Carvalho, the head, arms and chest of the monument were desecrated. The vandals committed the crime under the cover of darkness, taking advantage of the time interval during the change of security. For their crime, the attackers were sentenced to three years in prison, and as a public action they were “invited” to clear graffiti from the walls of one of the city tunnels. So that it would be distasteful to others.

How safe is it to visit the Christ Statue?

It is likely that some of you may be asking this question, because in general Rio de Janeiro cannot be called a safe city. Just look at the stories and stories about the local favelas, where the poorest segments of the population live.

I digress from the topic of our conversation :-). Visiting the statue of Christ on Mount Corcovado is as safe as, for example, Red Square in Moscow. Well, or any other main attraction of the city, be it the Statue of Liberty or the Eiffel Tower :-). The areas from which trains and minibuses depart, taking tourists to the top of Corcovado, are guarded. Also, do not worry about a taxi if this is the method you have chosen to visit the main attraction of Rio de Janeiro - the vast majority of taxi drivers are very friendly towards tourists. If I already mentioned this, then let’s take a closer look at the question of how you can get to the statue of Christ and get to the top of Mount Corcovado.

How to get to the Christ Statue in Rio de Janeiro?

The most carefree and at the same time expensive way to get to the top of Corcovado is to rent a car (or taxi). It was this option that my friends and I chose to visit the monument, which I later regretted a little. We rented a taxi for the day, paying about $100 (there were 6 of us). The taxi driver took us from our hotel to Corcovado, waited for us to see the sights, and then drove us to Copacabana Beach. Overall, considering that there were 6 of us and each paid less than $20, it wasn’t that bad. I remember very well how at first we didn’t trust the taxi driver, when he immediately asked for the entire amount as an advance payment: what if he let us go while we were taking pictures with Jesus :-). But you can’t fool us that easily, so we first took a picture of the car and recorded its license plate number. But in the end, we didn’t have to worry about this; the taxi driver actually turned out to be an honest and decent person. The downside is that the trip turned out to be very boring and uneventful; we never took the train to the top.
By train to the top of the mountain and the statue of Christ - in my opinion, the most interesting and colorful way. You can drive a car at home, but you don’t get to the top of a mountain by train every day :-). Of the disadvantages of this option to get to the statue of Christ, I would only note the queues and long waits for transport during rush hours. The cost of a round-trip train ride and visit to the attraction is 46 Brazilian reais ($23). From the beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana to the train station you can take bus numbers 570, 583 and 584.
Most cheap way visit the main attraction of Rio de Janeiro - use the services of a minibus. The cost of a round trip and entrance in this case will be 27 reais per person (approximately $13.5).

November 16th, 2012

The Statue of Christ the Redeemer (port. Cristo Redentor) is the famous statue of Christ with outstretched arms on the top of Mount Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro. It is a symbol of Rio de Janeiro and Brazil in general. The statue of Christ the Redeemer can rightfully be considered one of the most majestic buildings of mankind. Its size and beauty, combined with the panorama opening from the observation deck at the foot of the statue, will take the breath away of anyone who happens to be there.

It stands on top of the Corcovado hill at an altitude of 704 meters above sea level. The height of the statue itself is 30 meters, not counting the seven-meter pedestal, and its weight is 1140 tons. The idea for this structure originated in 1922, when the centenary of Brazilian independence was celebrated. A well-known weekly magazine then announced a competition of projects for the best monument - a symbol of the nation. The winner, Hector da Silva Costa, came up with the idea of a sculpture of Christ with his arms outstretched and embracing the entire city. This gesture expresses compassion and at the same time joyful pride. Da Silva's idea was received with enthusiasm by the public also because it crossed out the previous plan to erect a grandiose monument to Christopher Columbus on Mount Pan de Azucar. The church immediately got involved, organizing a fundraiser across the country to finance the project.

An interesting detail: due to technological imperfections, it was not possible to create such a statue in Brazil at that time. Therefore, it was manufactured in France, and then transported in parts to the site of future installation. First by water to Brazil, then by miniature railway to the top of Mount Corcovado. In total, construction cost the equivalent of 250 thousand US dollars at that time.

Before work began, architects, engineers and sculptors met in Paris to discuss everything technical problems installing the statue on a hilltop, where it is exposed to all winds and other meteorological influences. Work on the design and creation of the statue took place in Paris. She was then taken to Rio de Janeiro and installed on Corcovado hill. On October 12, 1931, its first grand opening and consecration took place; by this day, the lighting installation was also installed.

In 1965, Pope Paul VI repeated the consecration ceremony, and the lighting installation was also updated for the occasion. Another great celebration took place here in the presence of Pope John Paul II on October 12, 1981, when the fiftieth anniversary of the statue itself was celebrated.

The statue of Christ the Savior is considered one of modern miracles Sveta. The height of the stone monument is 30 meters, not counting the seven-meter pedestal; the head of the statue weighs 35.6 tons; the hands weigh 9.1 tons each, and the arm span is 23 meters. Built in 1885, the tram line now leads almost to the top of the hill: Ending station is located just forty meters below the statue. From there you need to climb 220 steps of a staircase to the pedestal on which the observation deck is located. In 2003, an escalator was opened that takes you to the foot of the famous statue. From here you can clearly see the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema stretching on your right hand, and on your left the giant bowl of the Maracana, the world's largest stadium, and international Airport. From the sea side rises the unique silhouette of Mount Pan di Azucar. The statue of Christ the Redeemer is a national treasure and a national Brazilian shrine.

The statue of Christ the Savior is made of reinforced concrete and soapstone, and weighs 635 tons. Due to its size and location, the statue is clearly visible from a fairly large distance. And in certain lighting, it looks truly divine.

But even more impressive is the view of Rio de Janeiro from the observation deck located at the foot of the statue. You can get to it by the highway, and then by steps and escalators.

Twice, in 1980 and 1990, major repairs were carried out on the statue. Also, preventative work was carried out several times. In 2008, the statue was struck by lightning and damaged slightly. Work to restore the outer layer on the fingers and head of the statue, as well as install new lightning rods, began in 2010.

It was then that the statue of Christ the Savior was subjected to the first and only act of vandalism in its entire history. Someone climbed onto the scaffolding and painted pictures and inscriptions on the face of Christ.

Every year, about 1.8 million tourists will climb to the foot of the monument. Therefore, when the new seven wonders of the world were named in 2007, the statue of Christ the Savior was included in their list.

Christ spread his hands over huge city, as if blessing millions of people living in it. Far below are houses, streets with colorful spots of cars, a long yellow strip stretching along the bay, and on the other side, bordered by green palm trees, is the famous multi-kilometer Copacabana beach. On the other hand of Christ you can see the no less famous bowl of the Maracana stadium", which was glorified by the Brazilian football wizards, five-time world champions, the international airport, and beyond the surface of the bay, on the other side, silhouettes of distant mountains are visible in the haze of fog.

Here, standing at the feet of Christ, you understand how amazing a nice place chosen by the Portuguese conquistadors who foundedXVIcentury on the shores of Guanabara Bay fort, which very quickly became the city of Rio de Janeiro and the capital of the Viceroyalty of Brazil, one of the colonies of Portugal.

Only in 1822 did Brazil become an independent state, called first the Brazilian Empire, and from 1889 the Republic of Brazil. The capital of the state is Rio de Janeiro continued to be until 1960, when he lost this honor to the new city of Brasilia, but remained one of the most beautiful cities on the ground. No wonder the Brazilians themselves say about him this way: “God created the world in six days, and on the seventh he created Rio de Janeiro».

To be fair, it must be said that there are other similar majestic statues of Christ on Earth. In Italy, a huge stone Savior rises above the city of Maratea. IN Dominican Republic, on the island of Haiti - above the city Puerto Plata. But in Rio de Janeiro he is the most majestic and stands tallest...

About the biggest statue I

This gesture expresses compassion and at the same time joyful pride. Da Silva's idea was received with enthusiasm by the public also because it crossed out the previous plan to erect a grandiose monument to Christopher Columbus on Mount Pan de Azucar. The church immediately got involved, organizing a fundraiser across the country to finance the project.

Before work began, architects, engineers and sculptors met in Paris to discuss all the technical problems of installing the statue on a hilltop, where it was exposed to all winds and other meteorological influences. Work on the design and creation of the statue took place in Paris. It was then transported to Rio de Janeiro and installed on Corcovado Hill. On October 12, 1931, its first grand opening and consecration took place; by this day, the lighting installation was also installed.

The statue of Christ the Savior is considered one of the modern wonders of the world. The height of the stone monument is 30 meters, not counting the seven-meter pedestal; the head of the statue weighs 35.6 tons; the hands weigh 9.1 tons each, and the arm span is 23 meters. Built in 1885, the tram line now leads almost to the top of the hill: the final stop is just forty meters below the statue. From there you need to climb 220 steps of a staircase to the pedestal on which the observation deck is located.

In 2003, an escalator was opened that takes you to the foot of the famous statue. From here you can clearly see the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema stretching on the right hand, and on the left the giant bowl of the Maracana, the world's largest stadium, and the international airport. From the sea side rises the unique silhouette of Mount Pan di Azucar. The statue of Christ the Redeemer is a national treasure and a national Brazilian shrine.

But even more impressive is the view of Rio de Janeiro from the observation deck located at the foot of the statue. You can get to it by the highway, and then by steps and escalators.

Christ spread his arms over the huge city, as if blessing the millions of people living in it. Far below are houses, streets with colorful spots of cars, a long yellow strip stretching along the bay, and on the other side, bordered by green palm trees, is the famous multi-kilometer Copacabana beach. On the other hand of Christ you can see the no less famous bowl of the Maracana stadium, which was glorified by the Brazilian football wizards, five-time world champions, the international airport, and beyond the surface of the bay, on the other side, silhouettes of distant mountains are visible in the haze of fog.

Here, standing at the feet of Christ, you understand what an amazingly beautiful place the Portuguese conquistadors chose, who in the 16th century founded a fort on the shore of Guanabara Bay, which very quickly became the city of Rio de Janeiro and the capital of the Viceroyalty of Brazil, one of the colonies of Portugal.

Only in 1822 did Brazil become an independent state, called first the Brazilian Empire, and from 1889 the Republic of Brazil. Rio de Janeiro continued to be the capital of the state until 1960, when it gave up this honor to the new city of Brasilia, but remained one of the most beautiful cities on Earth. It is not for nothing that the Brazilians themselves say about him this way: “God created the world in six days, and on the seventh he created Rio de Janeiro.”

To be fair, it must be said that there are other similar majestic statues of Christ on Earth. In Italy, a huge stone Savior rises above the city of Maratea. In the Dominican Republic, on the island of Haiti - above the city of Puerto Plata. But in Rio de Janeiro he is the most majestic and stands tallest...

In Brazil, on the top of Mount Corcovado stands one of the Seven New Wonders of the World - the statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro. From the observation deck at the feet of the statue, made in the art deco style, a panorama of the city of ten million with its sights and beaches opens up. The laconic figure of Christ the Savior (Cristo Redentor) in the form of a protective cross ranks fifth in size among a number of similar monuments located around the world. This monument is known as a religious and cultural symbol of Brazil.

Arm span and head tilt

The outstretched arms (span 28 m) of Jesus seem to be striving to embrace the whole world, simultaneously blessing and patronizing. The height of the monument is about 40 m, of which 8 m is on the marble pedestal-base, with a chapel located inside. The Colossus of Jesus is made of reinforced concrete, covered with a mosaic of triangular tiles of light soapstone (soapstone).

The head of the statue is bowed towards the people, and the figure opens its arms in the direction of the sunrise. Contrary to the prevailing opinion of tourists that the monument is visible from anywhere in Rio de Janeiro, the figure even at the foot of the mountain seems small. At night, the statue is illuminated and is no less attractive for filming. It is noteworthy that as the most high point On the ground, the statue of Christ in Rio receives about four lightning strikes a year, and the lightning rods built into the head and arms undergo periodic maintenance.

Neighborhood

The view of the landscape from the observation deck at the feet of the statue is most impressive at sunrise and sunset, and at this time there are a minimum number of tourists. It should be noted that the panorama of the surrounding area is clearly visible in clear July weather - at other times of the year there is often fog. In a picturesque area national park Tijuca is home to the statue of Christ the Redeemer - Rio de Janeiro is the owner of the world's largest forest area (39.51 km 2), located within the city (1260 km 2).

The iconic Corcovado mountain rises 710 m above sea level, but in the west of the park there is a higher granite massif - Pedra da Gavea , 842 m). Rio - major port on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, in the east of which the entrance to Guanabara Bay is preceded by Sugar Loaf Mountain (Pan di Azucar, 396 m). In the language of the local Tupi aborigines, Pan di Asucar means “guardian of the bay” - you can get to the top by cable car.

In the western zone there is the longest beach in the city, 18 km long, Barra di Tijuca - a year-round paradise for surfers. Of particular note is the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, which has access to Atlantic Ocean through a canal not suitable for swimming, but used for international rowing competitions.

The sports spirit of the Brazilians is noticeable from the top of Mount Corcovado across the “bowl” of the largest football stadium, the Maracanã, located in the northern part of Rio de Janeiro. Another passion local residents expressed in a huge venue in the city center - the Sambadromo Marques de Sapucai. This is a kind of scene, a continuation main street and arena for the world famous Carnival, for fun and bright colors which the statue of Christ in Rio de Janeiro silently gazes upon every year.

History of creation

Thanks to the beautiful panoramic view opening from the top of the mountain, a local Catholic priest first came up with the idea of installing a monument in the mid-1850s, which was effectively continued only 70 years later. The monument, which took about 9 years to create, was inaugurated in October 1931 and since then has attracted about two million tourists every year. The details of the monument were made in France, and after delivery to Brazil, they climbed to the top of the mountain by railway, built at the end of the 19th century (1885).

The monument is periodically restored. Below is a fascinating video filmed by the workers.

How to get there

The railway (3800 m) is still functioning and regularly delivers tourists from the Cosme Velho metro station every 30 minutes to the foot of the monument - the final point is located 40 m from the statue. Overcoming the steep climb to the top of the mountain, two electric trains run, delivering 360 passengers per hour to Jesus.

Through national park laid highway, along which it is better to move on public transport- taxis are allowed to pass until a certain point. Minibuses run regularly along the route from the square near the Largo do Machado metro station, where tickets are sold at the ticket office. The most resilient tourists travel by bicycle, but according to reviews, it is wisest to hire a personal guide with a car.

From the place where passengers disembark from the transport, you have to walk 220 steps along the winding Karakol staircase, nicknamed the “snail”. The statue of Jesus Christ in Rio is carefully furnished local authorities elevators and escalators. Unforgettable impression left with tourists helicopter excursions, starting from the Sugarloaf monolith. The cost of a few minutes of flight is $100 per person.

Benefits and restrictions

Payment for admission to the Monument of the Savior for 2015 by paying for a trip on an electric train in both directions:

for persons over 60 years old - $22;
for other categories of adults it will cost $56–68 depending on the season and weekdays;
Children under 5 years old travel free on a parent's lap, for 6–11 years old the cost is $44.

An important fact is the provision of 50% discounts on student tickets.

Due to the sacredness of the monument, persons with pets and in revealing clothing (swimsuits, T-shirts, shorts) are not allowed to visit the top of Mount Corcovado. Professional photography and video filming should be carried out only with the permission of the national park administration. If you plan to return to the city on foot along forest paths, it is vitally important to take care of a local guide. In addition to lush natural beauty and impressive landscapes, Rio de Janeiro has many architectural monuments located in historical center cities.

The giant mountain, crowning the 710-meter high Corcovado mountain, has been a symbol of Rio de Janeiro and all of Brazil for 80 years. The statue of Christ with outstretched arms towers over the city of 10 million, as if blessing and hugging it.

Statue of Christ the Redeemer (Brazil) - a cultural symbol of the country

The height of the statue of Christ the Redeemer is 38 meters, weight is 1145 tons. At the foot of the monument there is an observation deck from which amazing views of the sandy beaches, the huge bowl of the Maracana stadium, Guanabara Bay and Sugarloaf Peak, similar in its outline to a lump of sugar.

Statue of Christ the Redeemer: how to get there

Go down to observation deck You can take a lift or tram along Brazil's first electrified railway, which is 50 years older than the statue. There is also a highway leading to the monument, which runs through the Tijuca National Park, along the slopes of mountains covered with jungle. After leaving the railway station or parking lot, tourists ascend to the statue of Christ the Redeemer on an escalator, and the hardiest walk on foot, along a steep staircase of 223 steps, popularly nicknamed “The Snail”.

The idea of building a monument arose at the beginning of the 20th century. The monument on Mount Corcovado was planned to be erected by 1922, and its opening was planned to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Brazil's independence from Portugal. However, construction of the statue was delayed and completed 9 years later, in 1931. The final design of the monument was developed by the Brazilian sculptor Hector de Silva Costa. Statue of Christ the Redeemer with arms outstretched in a blessing gesture, it was supposed to express compassion and at the same time joyful pride, and from a distance the figure would look like a huge cross.

The townspeople enthusiastically accepted Hector de Silva Costa's project also because it crossed out the previous plan, according to which the city authorities proposed erecting a monument to Christopher Columbus on Sugarloaf Mountain.

The Brazilians did not like Columbus: having discovered America, he paved the way for the Portuguese conquerors who founded overseas colonies in Brazil. But thanks to him, the world subsequently learned about such miracles as or highest waterfall Peru - .