The mountain on which Jesus stands in Rio. Statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio. Brazil

Once in Rio, it is impossible not to notice the majestic silhouette of the cross crowning the bay - this is Christ himself, as if trying to wrap the city in his arms, blessing it with his arms wide open. This gesture personifies peace and tranquility, for "everything that exists is in the hands of the Lord."

Every year more than one and a half million travelers from all over the world come to Corcovado. There is a reason for this: the statue of Christ the Redeemer can rightfully be considered one of the most grandiose structures of mankind. Its size, combined with the panorama that opens from the observation deck, takes the breath away from everyone who is there.

A monument made of reinforced concrete and soapstone is installed on height 709 m., its height is 38 m., weight 1145 tons (of which only the head weighs 36 tons, hands 9 each), and the arm span is almost 30 m.

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At night, the statue looks especially beautiful. The bright beams of the searchlights directed at him give the impression that Jesus is descending from heaven to earth.

View of Christ

Historical reference

The history of the statue of Christ the Savior begins in 1859, when the Catholic priest Pedro Maria Boss arrived in the "city of happy dreams" and, amazed by the mysterious splendor of Mount Corcovado, set about creating a religious monument on its top. In the same year, he turned to the emperor's daughter Isabella with a request for funding for this project.

The adventure was approved, but the difficult financial situation of the state did not allow spending such huge funds on such ideas, so the decision to create a statue was postponed for 30 years. Instead, construction began on a small railroad to the top of Corcovado. By 1884, the canvas was stretched, it was through it that materials for construction were subsequently delivered, but this was much later, because. as a result of the separation of church and state, funding completely stopped, and the erection of Christ was again delayed.

The plans of Father Pedro were remembered only in 1921. The reason for their implementation was the upcoming anniversary of the 100th anniversary of the Independence of Brazil in 1922. With the support of the church, represented by Archbishop Sebastian Lemme, and the entire Catholic community, "Monument Week" was announced - a massive collection of funds and signatures for the construction of a monument that would become a Christian symbol of freedom and the rebirth of the country. People supported this idea, for example, the well-known Brazilian magazine O'Cruzeiro collected almost 2.5 million from its subscribers in 7 days.

Therefore, the erection of the statue can be safely called a truly People's Project, the start date of which is April 22, 1921.

Erection of the statue of Christ the Redeemer (1928)

A whole team of both local and foreign specialists took part in the process of working on the sculpture. After the artist Carlos Oswald drew the sketch, the engineers, architects and technicians met in Paris to discuss all the technical problems of installing the huge structure at the peak of the hill, where it is open to all rain and wind. After discussing all the details, the French sculptor Paul Landowski began to model the plaster hands and head, at which time the engineers were developing a reinforced concrete frame. All parts of the statue were made in France and transported by sea to Rio.

Chosen as the cladding layer steatite, durable and easy to process material, which, due to its oily texture, is popularly called "wax" or "soapstone". It was specially imported to Rio de Janeiro from Sweden (the Limhamn field).

In 1931, after 10 years of continuous construction work, the statue was completely completed. On October 12, at the grand opening, the first lights were lit on it, and the majestic Christ the Redeemer, seeing which, many people shuddered, crying with delight.

In 1965 the monument was consecrated by Pope Paul VI.

On October 12, 2011, the statue, without which modern Rio cannot be imagined, turned 80 years old.

Statue of Christ the Redeemer: How to get there

There are several options for getting to the top of Corcovado:

1) On the tourist tram , which runs along the same railway line laid in 1884. In a 20-minute exciting ride through steep climbs and winding turns along the rainforest, you will find yourself right at the mountain. Do not worry about safety, the canvas has been modernized several times since then. Trains leave every half an hour from 8.30 to 19.00, from the station on Rua Cosme Velho (Rua Cosme Velho). You can get to it by bus number 583, departing from Copacabana; on buses No. 570 and 584 with and.

IMPORTANT: Due to the large flow of people wishing to ride this mini-train, it is impossible to purchase tickets directly at the departure station!

To do this, you need to buy an electronic ticket on the official website of Trem do Corcovado. You will be assigned a date and time of dispatch that suits you. Don't forget to print your itinerary receipt or take a photo of your ticket's QR code. You can also purchase a coveted ticket at a tourist kiosk by the beach. You need to punch a ticket through the controller at least 15 minutes before the train departure, otherwise there is a chance of losing your seat.

tourist tram

IMPORTANT

2) On one of the tourist minibuses provided by the Paineiras Corcovado consortium. The advantage is that there are no stops up to the mountain. Departure is carried out every hour from 8.00 to 18.00 (on weekends until 17.00) from 3 starting points:

• from the square Praca do Lido at Copacabana. There you will find a ticket office and all the same white minibuses with characteristic designations. You can get to Praça do Lido by metro: get to the Cardeal Arcoverde station, go down to the coast along R. Rodolfo Dantas, turn left along Avenida Atlântica and walk 150 meters. Or by bus: from the Center No. 123, 132, 433 472; from the South Zone - No. 161, 432, 536 and 538; from Barra da Tijuca: 308, 314 and 523.

• From the territory of the former hotel The only way to get here is by taxi.

As of February 2017, the following prices* are set:

IMPORTANT A: Payment is accepted by cash and credit cards. Children, pensioners and the disabled must have a supporting document with them to receive benefits.

The statue of Christ the Redeemer (port. Cristo Redentor) is the famous statue of Christ with outstretched arms on 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 rightly be considered one of the most majestic buildings of mankind. Its size and beauty, combined with the panorama that opens from the observation deck at the foot of the statue, takes the breath away from anyone who is 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 of ​​this building was born in 1922, when the centenary of Brazil's independence was celebrated. A well-known weekly then announced a design competition for the best monument - the symbol of the nation. The winner, Héctor da Silva Costa, put forward the idea of ​​a sculptural image of Christ, arms outstretched and embracing the whole city.

This gesture expresses compassion and joyful pride at the same time. Da Silva's idea was accepted by the public with enthusiasm also because it crossed out the previous plan to build a grandiose monument to Christopher Columbus on Mount Pan di Azucar. The church immediately joined the cause, organizing a collection of donations throughout the country in order to finance the project.

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

Before starting work, the architects, engineers and sculptors met in Paris to discuss all the technical problems of placing the statue on top of a hill, where it is open to all winds and other meteorological influences. Work on the design and creation of the statue was in Paris. Then she was taken to Rio de Janeiro and installed on the hill of Corcovado. On October 12, 1931, its first grand opening and consecration took place; by that day, the lighting installation was also installed.

In 1965, Pope Paul VI repeated the consecration ceremony, and the lighting installation was also updated for this occasion. Another great celebration was held 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 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; hands - 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 it you need to climb the 220 steps of the stairs to the pedestal, on which the observation deck is located.

In 2003, an escalator was opened to take 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 side of the sea rises the unique silhouette of Mount Pan di Azucar. The statue of Christ the Savior is a national treasure and a national Brazilian shrine.

The statue of Christ the Savior was made of reinforced concrete and soapstone, and has a weight of 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 climb to which you can along the freeway, and then along the steps and escalators.

Twice, in 1980 and 1990, the statue was overhauled. And also, preventive work was carried out several times. In 2008, the statue was struck by lightning and slightly damaged. Work on restoring the outer layer on the fingers and head of the statue, as well as installing 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, having climbed the scaffolding, made drawings and inscriptions on the face of Christ with paint.

Every year, about 1.8 million tourists will rise 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 the huge city, as if blessing the millions of people living in it. Far below there were houses, streets with multi-colored spots of cars, a long yellow strip stretching along the bay, and on the other side bordered by the greenery of palm trees - the famous multi-kilometer beach of Copacabana. On the other hand of Christ, you can see the no less famous bowl of the Maracanã stadium”, which was glorified by Brazilian football wizards, five-time world champions, an international airport, and beyond the surface of the bay, on the other side, silhouettes of distant mountains are visible in a haze of fog.

Here, standing at the feet of Christ, you understand what an amazingly beautiful place the Portuguese conquistadors chose, who founded inXVIcentury on the shores of Guanabara Bay a fort that 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, first called the Empire of Brazil, and since 1889 the Republic of Brazil. State capital of 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 Earth. No wonder the Brazilians themselves say about him like this: “God created the world in six days, and on the seventh he created Rio de Janeiro».

In fairness, 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 Puerto Plata. But in Rio de Janeiro, he is the most majestic and stands above all ..

The most famous and majestic statue in Rio de Janeiro - the figure of Christ the Redeemer, which adorns the top of the South American mountain Corcovado.

This is the largest statue of Christ in Brazil: he spread his arms over the bustling metropolis in a blessing gesture. The construction has long attracted tourists from all over the world - tours to Corcovado are popular due to visiting observation decks, as well as beautiful views of the city of ten million people, cozy bays and coves, clubs and Ipanema beach, and the grandiose famous Maracanã Stadium. The monument was erected in the center of the Tijuca National Park.

Statue of Christ in Rio: history

In 1921, the country was preparing to celebrate the approaching centenary of Brazil's independence. By this date, it was decided to build a monument to Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado. The city authorities announced a competition for the best design of the monument, fundraising immediately began.

• More than 2.2 million reais were collected for the construction of Christ statues in Brazil. The Catholic Church was active in financing the project. The archbishop of the city, Sebastian Leme, supervised the construction of an architectural masterpiece.

• The original version of the monument was a sketch by the talented artist Carlos Oswald, who proposed depicting the Savior with his hands open in a gesture of blessing. A statue in Brazil would become a unique symbol of the Christian faith and would look like a huge cross. They planned to install the reinforced concrete Jesus on a pedestal made in the shape of a globe. The Brazilian engineer da Silva Costa developed the final design for the national monument.

• During construction, soapstone was used, thanks to which the statue was well strengthened, giving its surface a special aesthetic.

• The country's technologies did not provide for the presence of workshops of this magnitude, therefore, in order to implement the project, it was decided to create a masterpiece in parts in France. In the mid-20s, the French sculptor Landowski modeled the head of the future statue, which was about 4 meters high. Next, we started making hands. Gradually, all the details were made of hard and pliable stone, but they needed to be carefully transported up the mountain.

• The statue in Rio de Janeiro was taken to Brazil disassembled and lifted up a small railway built specifically for this purpose. From the tracks they laid the path of Caracol - the workers lifted the details of the monument along 220 steps.

• It took nine years to build this grandiose statue in Rio de Janeiro. The height of the finished structure was 38 meters, of which more than 30 meters were allocated directly to the figure of Christ. The statue weighs 635 tons, while the span of its arms reached 28 meters. It was decided to install Jesus on a picturesque natural hill 700 meters high.

On a solemn date in October 1931, the authorities and citizens opened and consecrated this new symbol of Rio.

Design features

The most beautiful statue in Brazil, due to its majestic size and successful landscape, is perfectly visible even at a great distance. You can admire the real magnificence in the evening - the statue is lit by a whole system of huge spotlights.

Inside this statue of Christ, famous outside of Brazil, a chapel was opened, located in the basement. Now the chapel has become a place of pilgrimage for wedding corteges. Tourists willingly come here, who, in addition to impressions, try to take with them miniature stone models of the statue from the local souvenir shop.

The hands of Christ are wide open in the arms of Christ: the gesture symbolizes sincere and all-forgiving love for people. Locals believe that Jesus hugs everyone who comes to him. In 2007, the statue was chosen as one of the new wonders of the world.

The observation deck is located at the feet of the statue: you can go up there by escalator, road or stairs. From the site, magical panoramas of Rio and the surrounding area open up.

For several times the monument has undergone preventive and major repairs. In 2008, the statue was hit by lightning and was slightly damaged: restoration work lasted two years. The craftsmen managed to renew the outer layer of the stone, repair the statue's fingers and head, and install new lightning rods. In the same year, the monument was subjected to an unexpected act of vandalism - climbing on the scaffolding left by the workers, the attackers left inscriptions and drawings on the face of Christ.

Every year, the statue undergoes mandatory state control and inspection, work is underway to prevent corrosion and improve the protection of the monument.

To see this grandiose statue in Brazil with your own eyes, you should go on a trip to the South American continent. Specialists will be able to offer many options for visiting this country on the most acceptable terms and at reasonable prices!

Look at the tallest statues erected in honor of Jesus Christ in different parts of the world. Published on the web portal

The most famous statue of Jesus on the planet is the statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. But the one who thinks that she is the largest in the world is deeply mistaken. The statue on Mount Corcovado, overlooking Rio, is only the fourth largest statue of Christ on Earth.

1. Cristo Rey - Mexico, 20.5 meters

This statue of Christ is located in the geographical center of Mexico - on the 2700-meter mountain Cerro del Cubilete.

The statue was completed in 1944 and its style is attributed to the Art Deco movement. Now Cristo Rei is considered one of the most significant religious monuments in the country.

2. Statue of Christ the Savior - Maratea (Italy), 21.23 meters

The statue, also known as the Cristo Redentore di Maratea, was made from white and blue-gray marble quarried near the city of Carrara.

Unlike some of the other statues built with donations from the public, the Cristo Redentore was erected at the expense of one person - Stefano Rivetti, an entrepreneur from Piedmont.

3. Cristo de las Noas (Mexico), 21.8 meters

The statue was named after the hill on which it was erected - Cerro de las Noas. The construction of the 580-ton statue began in 1973 and was completed only seventeen years later.

At its foot is a restaurant, which is considered one of the most popular among the residents of the city of Torreon.

4. Christ of the Pacific (Peru), 22 meters

The Cristo del Pacifico was President Alberto Fujimori's farewell gift to the people of Peru. When he lost the 2011 presidential election, he decided to give the Peruvians one last gift by building a replica of the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio in Lima.

However, he was criticized because the Peruvians felt that the people should have their own unique statue, and not a copy of someone else's.

5. Christ of the Sacred Heart (Mexico), 23 meters

10 kilometers from the Mexican city of Rosarito is a giant statue of Cristo del Sagrado Corazon, made of steel and fiberglass.

Sculptor Gregorio Tijuana, claims to be the creator of the most unique statue of Christ, not because of its height, but because it is made in color (usually all other statues are white or gray).

The statue of Christ of the Sacred Heart is the pride of the Mexicans.

6. Cristo Rey de Los Alamos (Mexico), 23 meters

The resin and fiberglass statue is located in the border town of Tijuana.

Moreover, they built an almost 24-meter statue on the dome of the church of San Martin de Porres Tijuana.

7. El Cristo Roto (Mexico), 25 meters

An unusual one-legged and one-armed giant statue of Christ was built in the Mexican town of San José de Gracia.

El Cristo Roto (The Broken Christ) attracts thousands of pilgrims every year.

8. Christ Rua de Houches (France), 25 meters

The monumental statue of Christ the King is located in Les Houches, Haute-Savoie in France.

Abbé Claude Delassie, pastor of Les Houches, who initiated the construction of this monument, wanted to erect a statue that would embody the idea of ​​the universal kingdom of Christ on Earth. The first stone was laid in August 1933, and the statue was unveiled just a year later.

9. Christ of Mercy (Nicaragua), 26 meters

El Cristo de la Misericordia is a huge statue in the city of San Juan del Sur which is the largest statue of Christ in Central America.

This statue was the dream of a local businessman, Ervin Gonzalez, who made his fortune in tourism. As a result, he built it on his personal plot of land.

10. Christ the King (Colombia), 26 meters

On top of Los Cristales - one of the two mountains that tower over the Colombian city of Cali - in 1953, a 464-ton statue of Cristo Rey was erected. It was supposed to symbolize respect for peace and the safety of local residents.

Only the most energetic tourists get to the statue, because it is located at an altitude of 1440 m above sea level.

11. Cristo Rei Dili (East Timor), 27m

The statue of Christ the King was a gift from the Government of Indonesia to the people of East Timor. At the time of construction (1996), East Timor was a province of Indonesia before gaining independence in 2002. Since then, the statue of Cristo Rei has become one of the main tourist attractions of the new independent state.

Unlike most of the statues on this list, the Cristo Rei is made of copper, not stone.

12. Christ the King (Portugal), 28 meters

Plans for the construction of a Portuguese statue of Christ first appeared in 1940, but the statue was not finished until 1959.

The figure of Christ stands on the top of the rock near the city, arms outstretched towards the city, as if embracing it.

13. Cristo Recucitado (Mexico), 30 meters

This statue is the only one on the list that was installed in a cemetery (in the city of San Rafael). Sculptor David Gutiérrez Becerril made the Cristo Recucitado (Christ Resurrected) from pink stone in the early 1970s.

14. Christ blessing (Indonesia), 30 meters

In Manado Indonesian, this statue is called Christus Kase Berkat. It was built in 2010 from 25 tons of metal fiber and 35 tons of steel.

The statue is unusual in its location - Christ, as it were, leans forward to bless his flock.

15. Christos Otero (Spain), 30 meters

You can find Cristo del Otero on the outskirts of the Spanish city of Palencia.

The statue was built in 1931 in a style reminiscent of the Art Deco movement.

Cristo del Otero is one of the most visited holy places by pilgrims.

16. Christ the Redeemer (Brazil), 30.1 meters

Arguably the most famous Jesus statue in the world, Cristo Redentor is the fourth tallest Jesus statue in the world.

It is a matter of honor for every traveler, having been in Brazil, to come to Rio de Janeiro and visit the foot of the majestic statues of Christ the Savior. The magnificent landscape that opens at the foot of the statue, the feeling of some kind of inner power and delight will not leave anyone indifferent. It is best to leave a visit to the statue "for a snack". Thus, you will be able to see the familiar landscape and guess the Formula 1 tracks, the Maracana Stadium, the Sugarloaf and other sights that only the lazy do not talk about and write about. Almost forty-meter hulk (to be precise, thirty-eight) is visible from almost any corner of Rio, just like the whole city is visible from the statue. But do not even dream of taking a picture of everything together - the location of the statue does not make it possible to do this. An option is to fly by plane, but more on that later.

History of Jesus statue in Brazil

Jesus in Rio de Janeiro rises since 1931. But his story begins much earlier. The pedestal of the future statue was the so-called "mountain of temptation", which is mentioned in the Bible. But folk associative chains led to the renaming of the mountain in Corcovado, which in Spanish means "hunchback". The fact is that the mountain really resembles a hump. The mystery and beauty of Mount Corcovado is striking and mesmerizing. She did not leave indifferent the Catholic priest Pedro Maria Bossa. He could not resist the temptation to erect a statue of Jesus on the mountain. But for a large statue - big expenses, which the clergyman did not have. He offered to sponsor the action to the then Princess Isabella. And so that she would certainly agree, he promised to dedicate a statue to her and immortalize the virtuous lady. But the question of eternity turned out to be less attractive for the princess than the question of spending money, and she wished to postpone this matter until better times. But the plans were not destined to come true. Since the monarchy fell, and the church was separated from the state by law.

While the statue began to be forgotten, the construction of the railway from Rio to the top of the Hunchback began in full swing. Thus, when the idea of ​​creating a statue was returned to the anniversary of the independence of Brazil in 1922, it was already possible to supply materials for construction without any special difficulties. Interesting is the fact that the statue was built with the money of the townspeople. Fundraising was taking place in churches when "monument week" was announced. Part of the money was donated by the church itself.

Construction began in April 1922, when the foundation stone of the pedestal was laid.

But before that, it was necessary to decide what it would look like monument in Rio de Janeiro. The city administration immediately announced a competition for the best project, but, amid fierce competition, Heitor de Silva Costa became the winner. In the project, he embodied the idea that everything in existence is in the hands of the Lord. The outstretched arms of the statue schematically depict a cross, and it was originally supposed to stand on a ball that would symbolize our planet.

The final layout was completed in 1927 - and finally the construction of the statue began. The artists, architects and engineers who designed the models lived near the statue throughout the construction and spent the night in a built tent nearby.

The statue was collected by the whole world. Well, almost everyone. The head and arms were assembled in France for technical reasons, and the French sculptor Paul Landowsky took part in modeling these parts of the statue. The material for making the sculpture was brought from Sweden.

The construction of the statue cost by today's standards quite cheap - a quarter of a million dollars. But at the time it was a huge amount.

How to get to the Monument of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro?

You can get to the city in any way: from the plane to the ship through the train and car. In the city itself, catch a taxi (by the way, taxi services are not cheap in Rio), wait for the bus. There are two trains running from the city center to Corcovado Mountain. The ride is short, only twenty or twenty five minutes.

The narrow railroad, which originally delivered the building materials for the statue, now carries a crazy flow of tourists. Every hour, an average of three and a half hundred tourists are delivered to the statue in Rio de Janeiro.

If public transport is not the type you are used to, you can take a taxi or rent a car to the statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro. Such pleasure will cost more, but it also has its advantages. In addition to increased comfort, you get a tour of the national reserve and the largest forest area in the world, which is located in the halls of the city. You still have to get to the top without a car - on an escalator, which was installed here only in 2003. You can look at the statue from a bird's eye view by renting a private jet or helicopter, but the rent is simply fabulous. Although there is nothing to argue about the ratio of price and saturation of impressions - the view pays for the costs.

Statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro today

The statue was consecrated twice by Pope John Paul II. The Brazilians themselves believe in the miraculous power of the statue and that it protects the city from troubles and adversities. Moreover, severe thunderstorms do not affect the statue, while the area around it can be severely damaged and more than one tree stands cut by lightning. Scientists are not inclined to believe in a miracle, and explain this phenomenon by the fact that the soapstone from which the statue was erected turned out to be a powerful dielectric.

However, time is taking its toll and Christ statue in Rio de Janeiro needs repair again, note the third time in more than 75 years.

Statue in Rio de Janeiro, photo which is decorated with all sorts of guidebooks, and any thing that is more or less connected with Brazil has twins all over the world. They are naturally smaller, but some of them are striking. So, for example, the monument to Jesus, which stands in Indonesia (the Muslim faith prevails), surprises with impudence.

Brazil Construction of the statue of Jesus Christ, video:

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