- Portuguese:
- Cristo Redentor
Christ the Redeemer
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What is Christ the Redeemer?
Christ the Redeemer is a colossal Art Deco statue of Jesus Christ on top of Mount Corcovado, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is emblematic of both Rio de Janeiro and Brazil as a whole.
Brazilians proposed the statue out of fear of a "tide of godlessness". Construction started in 1926 and was completed in 1931. The monument measures 98 feet (30 meters) tall, with arms stretching 92 feet (28 meters). It is made of reinforced concrete covered in nearly six million tiles.
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Where is Christ the Redeemer located?
The Christ the Redeemer statue is located at the summit of Mount Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil. The idea of erecting a Christian monument on top of Corcovado was first suggested in the 1850s. The archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro proposed that a statue of Christ be built on the 2,310-foot (704-metre) summit in 1921, so it would be visible from anywhere in Rio. The statue was completed in 1931 and has become emblematic of both the city of Rio de Janeiro and the whole nation of Brazil.
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What does the Christ the Redeemer statue look like?
The Christ the Redeemer statue is a 98-foot (30-meter) tall figure of Jesus Christ with arms outstretched, spanning 92 feet (28 meters). Situated atop Mount Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the statue is made of reinforced concrete clad in thousands of triangular soapstone tiles and is the largest Art Deco-style sculpture in the world. The statue sits on a square stone pedestal about 26 feet (8 meters) high. It has become emblematic of both the city of Rio de Janeiro and the whole nation of Brazil.
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Why was the Christ the Redeemer statue built?
The Christ the Redeemer statue was built for multiple reasons:
- In the 1850s, a Vincentian priest suggested a Christian monument on Mount Corcovado to honor Isabel, princess regent of Brazil.
- In 1921, the Roman Catholic archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro proposed a statue of Christ be built on the summit, making it visible from anywhere in Rio.
- Some Brazilians feared a "tide of godlessness" after World War I, further motivating the monument's construction.
Construction, under the supervision of Heitor da Silva Costa, began in 1926 and was completed in five years. The statue was dedicated on October 12, 1931 and has since become emblematic of Rio de Janeiro and Brazil.
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How was the Christ the Redeemer statue constructed?
The Christ the Redeemer statue's construction began in 1926 and concluded five years later. Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa designed the statue, with contributions from Carlos Oswald and French sculptor Paul Landowski.
Made of reinforced concrete, the statue is clad in thousands of triangular soapstone tiles. Materials and workers traveled via railway to the summit of Mount Corcovado. The monument stands 98 feet (30 meters) tall, with arms stretching 92 feet (28 meters), and it sits atop a base about 26 feet (8 meters) high. The statue was dedicated on October 12, 1931.
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What is the significance of Christ the Redeemer to Brazil and the world?
The Christ the Redeemer statue is a famous statue of Jesus Christ on top of Mount Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is emblematic of both Rio de Janeiro and Brazil as a whole. Brazilians proposed the statue because they feared a "tide of godlessness." Construction started in 1926, and the statue was completed five years later. The statue is 98 feet (30 meters) tall, with horizontally outstretched arms spanning 92 feet (28 meters). It is the largest Art Deco sculpture in the world.
3 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Christ the Redeemer, colossal statue of Jesus Christ at the summit of Mount Corcovado, Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil. Celebrated in traditional and popular songs, Corcovado towers over Rio de Janeiro, Brazil’s principal port city. The statue of Christ the Redeemer was completed in 1931 and stands 98 feet (30 metres) tall, its horizontally outstretched arms spanning 92 feet (28 metres). The statue has become emblematic of both the city of Rio de Janeiro and the whole nation of Brazil.
The statue, made of reinforced concrete clad in a mosaic of thousands of triangular soapstone tiles, sits on a square stone pedestal base about 26 feet (8 metres) high, which itself is situated on a deck atop the mountain’s summit. The statue is the largest Art Deco-style sculpture in the world.
In the 1850s the Vincentian priest Pedro Maria Boss suggested placing a Christian monument on Mount Corcovado to honour Isabel, princess regent of Brazil and the daughter of Emperor Pedro II, although the project was never approved. In 1921 the Roman Catholic archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro proposed that a statue of Christ be built on the 2,310-foot (704-metre) summit, which, because of its commanding height, would make it visible from anywhere in Rio. Citizens petitioned Pres. Epitácio Pessoa to allow the construction of the statue on Mount Corcovado.
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Permission was granted, and the foundation stone of the base was ceremonially laid on April 4, 1922—to commemorate the centennial on that day of Brazil’s independence from Portugal—although the monument’s final design had not yet been chosen. That same year a competition was held to find a designer, and the Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa was chosen on the basis of his sketches of a figure of Christ holding a cross in his right hand and the world in his left. In collaboration with Brazilian artist Carlos Oswald, Silva Costa later amended the plan; Oswald has been credited with the idea for the figure’s standing pose with arms spread wide. The French sculptor Paul Landowski, who collaborated with Silva Costa on the final design, has been credited as the primary designer of the figure’s head and hands. Funds were raised privately, principally by the church. Under Silva Costa’s supervision, construction began in 1926 and continued for five years. During that time materials and workers were transported to the summit via railway.
After its completion, the statue was dedicated on October 12, 1931. Over the years it has undergone periodic repairs and renovations, including a thorough cleaning in 1980, in preparation for the visit of Pope John Paul II to Brazil that year, and a major project in 2010, when the surface was repaired and refurbished. Escalators and panoramic elevators were added beginning in 2002; previously, in order to reach the statue itself, tourists climbed more than 200 steps as the last stage of the trip. In 2006, to mark the statue’s 75th anniversary, a chapel at its base was consecrated to Our Lady of Aparecida, the patron saint of Brazil.