Cristo Redentor is called one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. It is otherwise known as Christ the Redeemer and is an enormous statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This amazing statue of Cristo Redentor is the largest art statue in the entire world. Cristo Redentor is 130 feet tall and weighs 635 tons. This massive statue can be found at the top of the Corcovado Mountain that is located in the Tijuca Forest National Park. Most Brazilians are Catholic so this statue is an important symbol of Catholicism to them.
The Cristo Redentor was sculpted by French sculptor Paul Landowski. The structure is made out of reinforced concrete instead of the traditional steel and the outer layers are soapstone to hold up better in the weather. Cristo Redentor took nine long years to create and cost a final price of $250,000.
Lightening from a violent storm struck the Cristo Redentor in February of 2008 but the statue was unharmed due to the thoughtful construction of using soapstone as an outer layer. This material actually works as an insulator protecting it from the lightening. In October of 2006 the Cristo Redentor had a birthday, turning 75 years old. In celebration a chapel was constructed under the statue which allows the Catholic people of Brazil to hold baptisms and weddings here.
There is a Corcovado tour that is available when visiting Rio de Janeiro. The tour offers transfers to and from hotels that are in the Ipanema, Leblon or Copacabana area. It includes a Corcovado entrance fee and is equipped with a bilingual tour guide. This trip visits top Brazilian beaches such as the Pepino Beach, Ipanema Beach and the Copacabana Beach and ends with a drive through the Tijuca National Park. The Tijuca National Park is where you will be able to get a good view of the Cristo Redentor statue. The tour lasts around 4 hours round trip and is available twice a day, every day.
People come from all over the world to catch a glimpse of this statue that looks out over the city and its people. Viewing the Cristo Redentor in person you will understand why it is called one of the new Seven Wonders of the World and one of top Rio attractions.