Christ The Redeemer
Christ the Redeemer is a statue of Jesus Christ located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is one of the most famous landmarks in the world and is considered to be an icon of both Rio de Janeiro and Brazil as a whole. The statue is located on top of Corcovado Mountain, which overlooks the city of Rio de Janeiro.
History
Proposed in the 1850s by Brazilian priest Pedro Maria Boss, the idea for the Christ the Redeemer statue was revived in the 1920s by Brazilian Catholics to mark their country's independence centennial. Constructed by Brazilian workers under French sculptor Paul Landowski's design, the statue opened in 1931, taking nine years to complete.
Features
Christ the Redeemer statue is made of reinforced concrete and soapstone, stands at 98 feet tall, and weighs 635 metric tons. Depicting Jesus with outstretched arms, it symbolizes peace and forgiveness and sits atop a 26-foot pedestal. The statue attracts millions of visitors annually.