Christ the Redeemer
The open arms of the world.
Christ the Redeemer spreading his forgiveness and love out to the world.
Description
Christ the Redeemer is one of the most known and the most visited monuments. At 39.6 meters (130 feet) tall it stands as the tallest art deco monument in the world and it is also the fifth tallest statue of Jesus in the world. Because of its staggering height in order to reach the statue you must climb 222 steps, however an elevator has been created for the older and weaker visiters. The span of its arms from fingertip to fingertip is 28 meters. It weighs a total of 635 tons. Christ the Redeemer is made out of soapstone. This material was used because its resistance to weather and cracking. The soapstone made the statue the color off white with a gray tint. Christ the Redeemer was recently named one of the New Wonders of the World in the summer of 2007. The beauty, and composition of this magnificent statue attracts many people to its beautiful location each year.
Northern part of South America
Brazil borders countries such as, Peru and Bolivia.
Brazil
Brazil's capital is Brasilia.
Rio de Janeiro
Corcovado is the mountain that Christ the Redeemer is located on.
Location
Christ the Redeemer is located in the northern part of South America. The city that it is located in is Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Christ the Redeemer is located on the 635ft tall mountain, Corcovado. Since Christ the Redeemer is on such a tall mountain, the view is beautiful.You can get to Christ the Redeemer by either bus, or train. At the top there is a parking lot, but to see the actual monument up close you must climb many steps. Because of the high location there is a long history to Christ the Redeemer.
Working on the hand.
Six years.
Almost done!
Eight years.
Getting the finishing touches on the head.
Five years.
History
The idea of placing a huge Christian monument on top of Corcovado Mountain dates back to the early 1850's, when a Catholic priest requested funds from Princess Isabel. The princess was not excited about the idea and the plan was dismissed. In 1921 however the plan to make a Christian monument started again. Local citizens started making donations, and thinking of ideas for designs. Many designs were thought of, but the one that was chosen was a statue of Christ with his arms open wide, symbolizing peace and forgiveness. Construction began in 1922. Christ the Redeemer's main two designers and sculptors were a local engineer, Heitor da Silva Costa and a Frenchman named Paul Landowski. Nine years and $250,000 later Christ the Redeemer was opened on October 12, 1931 for the world to see. In 2006 Christ the Redeemer's 75th anniversary was celebrated by placing a chapel dedicated to the patron saint of Brazil, at its base. Today amazing, and terrifying events happen to Christ the Redeemer. Such as, in February 2008 a strike of lighting hit the statue head on. But through all of these horrible events Christ the Redeemer has managed to live through it all thanks to its fantastic design, and amazing workers.
What religion or group finds Christ the Redeemer sacred?
Christ the Redeemer is sacred to Christians. It is one of the holiest and most worshipped Christian monument. All around the world Christians come to worship Christ. Over the years many changes and renovations have been made to further more celebrate, and worship the Christian religion. For example, recently a small chapel at the foot of the statue was made so people may worship in peace, without the noise of the tourists.This chapel was also made so Christians can hold baptisms and religious weddings in front of their beloved god.
Why is Christ the Redeemer sacred to Christian's?
Christ the Redeemer is sacred to Christians for many reasons. For example Christ the Redeemer is sacred because the statue itself represents love, forgiveness, and peace.People come from all over the world to worship and ask Christ to help and care for their family, and friends. Christ the Redeemer is also sacred because since Christ the Redeemer is located on such a high place, Christians think that because Christ sees all the poverty, sadness and crime, Christ will reward the good and punish the bad. The monument is also sacred because the people of Rio de Janeiro think that it blesses their city. This is one of the reasons why many committed Christians have moved to Rio de Janeiro. Christ the Redeemer is an amazing place with many fantastic sites but I think that the people who really appreciate and worship Christ the Redeemer are the most blessed.
Fun Facts
- Christ the Redeemer's right arm points to Ipanema Beach and its left arm points to Maracana, the world’s largest soccer stadium.
- Christ the Redeemer's name in Portuguese is Christo Redentor.
- In 2010 an act of vandalism occurred when someone spray painted the monument. The mayor called this act a crime against the nation, and the vandal was quickly arrested.
- At night spotlights light up the statue and make it glow, giving an illusion that the statue is levitating above the mountain.
What are the pictures of?
- The one next to the Description paragraph is a birds eye view of Christ the Redeemer.
- The one next to the Location paragraph is a picture of Corcovado Mountain, with the winding road that leads to Christ the Redeemer.
- History paragraph- a picture of Heitor da Silva Costa admiring a model of his master piece.
- What religion or group finds Christ the Redeemer sacred paragraph- a picture of the inside of the chapel.
- Fun Facts- a picture of the light show that Christ the Redeemer has each night.