Christ the Redeemer: The Seventh Wonder that makes Brazil stand out
As most of you might know, Christ the Redeemer was announced as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007. You might have understood from the name already that the statue is of Jesus Christ. Also known as Cristo Redentor, it is one of the tallest historical statues in the world, located on the highest point of the Corcovado Mountain in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Considered to be a global symbol of Christianity, this cultural icon was built in 1931. French sculptor Paul Landowski, Brazilian civil engineer Heitor da Silva Costa and French engineer Albert Caquot collaborated to create this statue. As for the statue’s face, it was designed by Roman sculptor Gheorghe Leonida.
The Seventh Wonder of the modern world
The height of Christ the Redeemer statue is 98 feet, and its arms are stretched horizontally at a distance of about 92 feet. It was made of reinforced concrete (concreted, embedded with metal, such as steel). The statue is presumed to contain thousands of triangular-soapstone tiles. The figure stands erect on a square stone pedestal base that is 26 feet tall. It depicts the Art Deco style (a sculpture style popularised during the 1920s and 1930s and characterised by delineated geometric shapes). By now, you must be eager to know how the idea of building the statue originated, right? Let’s find out!
A long journey of 70 years!
In the mid-1850s, a Brazilian Catholic priest named Pedro Maria Boss first suggested placing a Christian monument on Mount Corcovado. The priest wanted to honour Princess Isabel, the daughter of Emperor Pedro II and Princess Regent. However, the proposal was rejected at the time. It was because Brazil became a republic, and there was a separation of the Church and the State.
Years later, in 1920, the proposal was reintroduced by the Catholic Archdiocese of Rio. In fact, they even organised an event called ‘Monument Week’ to attract donations for this noble cause. The proposal was finally accepted in 1921. The Brazilian government decided to build a statue of Christ on the summit of Mount Corcovado as a landmark for the Christian community. It was built on this mountain to make it visible from anywhere in Rio and its outskirts.
A symbol of Christianity and global peace
Christ the Redeemer was originally named the ‘Statue of Jesus Christ.’ The first design proposed was a that of Christ with a globe in one hand and a cross in another. However, the statue of Christ with open arms was later chosen as a symbol of Christianity and global peace.
A chapel is built
Over the years, Christ the Redeemer underwent many changes, including thorough cleaning in 1980 and renovation or repairing in 2010. Earlier, tourists climbed more than 200 steps to reach the last stage of the statue. However, in 2002, panoramic elevators and escalators were added. In addition, on its 75th anniversary, a chapel was built at its base where the Catholics could conduct baptism and wedding ceremonies. The chapel was dedicated to Our Lady of Aparecida, the patron saint of Brazil.