Christ the Redeemer (statue)

Christ the Redeemer (), is a statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was built between 1922 and 1931 and stands  tall. It sits on a   pedestal on the peak of the  tall Corcovado mountain. The statue overlooks the city.

 History 
The first electric railway in Brazil was built in the late 1800s. At that time people would go to the top of the Corcovado Mountain to enjoy the panoramic view of the city below. Construction started in 1926 and took five years. During that time workers balanced themselves on scaffolds with no safety equipment. It was risky work but during the entire construction period, no workers were killed. Many regarded that as a miracle. The statue was finished in 1931.Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices eds. J. Gordon Melton; Martin Baumann (Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2010), p. 2725 It was built to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of Brazil's independence from Portugal. The statue was built in France by the sculptor Paul Landowski. He never came to Rio to see the sculpture in place.

 21st century 
The statue underwent a $4 million renovation in 2010. Since then it has been damaged by lightning at least two times. Repairs in 2014 added more lightning rods to prevent future damage from lightning. 

The statue is maintained by the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro. 

 Related pages 
 Christ the Redeemer of the Andes
 Cristo Redentore, Christ the Redeemer of Maratea, Italy
 Christ of the Ozarks in Arkansas, United States: a 20 metre high statue inspired by Christ the Redeemer
 Christ of Havana in Havana, Cuba: a 20 metre high statue inspired by Christ the Redeemer

 References 

 Other websites 

 Christ the Redeemer Construction Facts 
 7 Largest Statues in the World

Category:Statues
Category:Art Deco
Category:Buildings and structures in Rio de Janeiro
Category:1931 works
Category:1930s in art