75 Facts About Christ The Redeemer That Will Surprise You

The Christ the Redeemer statue is a well-known monument paying tribute to Jesus Christ, based on a design by French sculptor Paul Landowski and made in collaboration with Brazilian and French engineers Heitor da Silva Costa and Albert Caquot in the city Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Christ the Redeemer statue is the world's largest art deco statue. It is 98 ft (29.87 m) tall (not including the 26-foot pedestal) with 92 ft (28.04 m) wide arms and is part of Tijuca National Park.

A Catholic priest first proposed the notion of erecting such a holy monument in 1850. It wasn't until 1920, after a Catholic group in Brazil petitioned and gathered funding to erect a landmark statue, that it was realized. The design was chosen from a number of options, and the construction began in the year 1920 in Rio De Janeiro and lasted nine years. Christ the Redeemer statue is now considered one of the world's New Seven Wonders.

If you find 75 facts about Christ the Redeemer interesting, then you should also check facts about Chichen Itza and facts about Goddess of Hearth.

Fun Facts About Christ The Redeemer

The Statue of Christ the Redeemer is one of the world's highest statues. The statue's location on top of a big mountain makes it vulnerable to lightning strikes, which occur several times a year. A severe thunderstorm struck in 2008, causing damage to the head, brows, and fingers. In 2014, a bolt of lightning struck and fractured one of Christ's fingers.

The statue is considered to be the finest creation of the French sculptor Paul Landowski. However, he did not build Christ The Redeemer in Brazil. Landowski actually made this Jesus Christ statue on clay pieces back home in France, based on the design by Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa. The statue was then transported to Brazil so that it could be recast in reinforced concrete.

Unfortunately, graffiti artists defaced the statue recently in 2010 by writing on its surface. The vandals turned themselves in the authorities after the then-mayor declared the incident a "crime against the nation".

Guests had to ascend a staircase to reach the Christ the Redeemer after taking the train or vehicle up the mountain, which was the only way provided, even for the older visitors. But in 2003, elevators were installed resulted in being a big help for tourists.

Historical Facts About Christ The Redeemer

Pedro Maria Boss, a Vincentian priest, proposed erecting a Christian monument for the Brazilian Princess Regent, but the project never picked up steam at that point. In Rio de Janeiro, the Catholic Circle was responsible for the creation of the statue, and it was they who suggested the location to be Mount Corcovado as it could be seen and admired from any corner of the city.

The foundation stone for the base of Christ The Redeemer statue in Mount Corcovado was ceremonially put on April 4, 1922, to celebrate Brazil's independence from Portugal on that date. It was in 1922 itself that a competition to choose a designer was organized, and Heitor da Silva Costa, a Brazilian engineer. Silva Costa later changed the plan in conjunction with Carlos Oswald; Oswald was Brazilian artist who was given the credits for the Christ The Redeemer Statue's standing position with arms spread wide.

The Christ The Redeemer statue was ready on October 12, 1931, after its completion. The statue has undergone several repairs and modifications throughout the years, with the most recent restoration being completed in 2010.

Tourism Facts About Christ The Redeemer

Two million people visit the Christ The Redeemer statue with its famed open arms in Rio De Janeiro, which is one of the seven wonders of the world. If we talk about the interesting facts in regards to how to visit the Christ The Redeemer statue, the cog railway is the most traditional and provides the most scenic mode of transportation to the summit. These same rail tracks were formerly used to transport the concrete pieces of the statue. These trains run every half hour from Cosme Velho's Trem do Corcovado Station, and visitors travel through the Atlantic Forest in the Tijuca National Park. Taking around 20 minutes to get to the top, tickets can be purchased at the Corcovado train station for visitors wanting to visit this iconic statue.

You can take an Uber or a taxi almost as far as the visitors centre if you don't want to wait in line for the official van to visit Christ The Redeemer statue. A guided tour of Christ the Redeemer is an excellent alternative if you'd rather have all the planning done for you. There are various tours to pick from if you want to see a couple of Rio's other most famous sights in one day. Going on our own would be a fantastic way to get up close and personal with the Atlantic Forest, but security on the route has been appalling in recent years.

Symbolic Facts About Christ The Redeemer

The Christ The Redeemer statue is a symbol of Rio de Janeiro city in Brazil and its people, as well as a religious emblem of the desire to open up with warmth and love to the world. It is the city's most well-known and frequented tourist destination.

The statue was constructed a few decades after the country's independence, and it represents the Republic's stability over time. Getulio Vargas, the civil head of the movement that brought the Old Republic to an end by overturning it in a coup a few years prior, was the one who inaugurated the statue.

It really isn't difficult to recognize the religious significance of this monumental statue. The Christian Catholic Church, which is the majority religion in Brazil were the ones who pushed for building this statue. In the statue, Jesus Christ is depicted as having broad outstretched arms, as though greeting the populace or the visitor. This attitude symbolizes openness to others and Christ's love for everyone. This is one of the main reasons why the message in the statue resonates with people all around the world.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 75 facts about Christ the Redeemer that will surprise you then why not take a look at New York Statue of Liberty facts, or Hanging Gardens of Babylon facts.