Christ the Redeemer Statue – one of the 7 Wonders of the World the largest Art Deco design ever built
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.
Christ the Redeemer Statue
The Christ the Redeemer statue stands as the largest Art Deco design ever constructed in world history. Depicting Jesus with outstretched arms, it symbolizes a gesture of welcome and peace.
The statue is 98 feet tall, and it’s built on top of a 28 foot pedestal. Its arms stretch 92 foot – 2/3 of the Statue of Liberty’s height. Christ the Redeemer weighs 700 tons, and it was built at 2,310-foot summit of Mount Corcovado, in the Tijuca National Park.
The statue’s construction started in 1922 and it was finished in 1931. The first person that suggested its construction was Pedro Maria Boss, a Vincentian priest that talked about a Christian monument in the 1850s, but the project did not move forward. In 1921, it was the archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro that ended up proposing the landmark, and it was accepted.
Heitor da Silva Costa, a local engineer, designed the statue after a competition to select a designer. He worked closely with Carlos Oswald, who was also a local artist. They were accompanied in this venture by multiple technicians and engineers from all over the world.
Christ the Redeemer is made out of soapstone and reinforced concrete. The combination of these materials was heavily studied and tested before actively starting construction. However, working with these materials at such a scale and at that height is what ended up making the construction process a 9-year long project.
In 2006, a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Aparecida, the patron saint of Brazil, was consecrated at the base of the statue to commemorate its 75th anniversary.
The aesthetics of this landmark are incredible, and despite being close to 100 years old, the statue shows very few signs of damage. It’s a testament to preservation, religion, and engineering.
The significance of Christ, the Redeemer
The statue of Christ is relatively new having been completed in October 1931 after 5 years of construction. Yet all over the world, we know the symbol of Christ watching over the vibrant city of Rio de Janeiro. So why do we care so much about this impressive statue?
- Well, firstly it’s impressive. It’s size, scale and proportions make Christ feel like some sort of superhero, a guardian bearing down over us all. From a distance, the shape of Christ appears to be a simple cross. His proportions echo the religious symbol itself. Up close, you feel small in the presence of Christ as the statue towers over the crowds below. Each of Christ’s hands are 3.2m long if that gives you some idea.
- The materials were chosen to reflect light so Christ is naturally illuminated through day and night. The result is an ever-present symbol of a white cross atop the hill. In fact, this Christ stands out from the history books in its art deco in style. But I don’t think Renaissance lovers will be disappointed. And neither will those looking for a more modern interpretation.
- Ever thought about how they’d build a statue of this scale on top of such a steep mountain? Christ is made from reinforced concrete and covered with an outer shell of soapstone tiles that have to be maintained and cleaned regularly. All the materials were transported to the building site by rail. Then bit by bit the grew the core with tiers of concrete. Around the core they erected scaffolding to add the final layer of soapstone tiles. These tiles were imported from Sweden to give Christ that incandescent feel.
- Symbolically Christ is the human face of God — he forgives, he trusts, he is light. For Christian’s around the world, he is a symbol of hope and remembrance. His presence also marks Rio de Janeiro as a Christian city. But ultimately this statue of Christ represents the protector of people and of the soul
The history of Christ the Redeemer
The following year the foundations were laid and the project began. Heitor da Silva Costa was the Brazilian Engineer chosen as the designer. He submitted a sketch with the figure of Christ holding a cross in his right hand and the world in his left. This design was later amended with the help of the artist Carlos Oswald and the Frenchman, Paul Landowski.
The statue was funded privately and primarily by the church. So it took four more years before construction could begin in 1926.
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