The thirty-meter Christ the Redeemer has been blessing Brazil's Rio for 80 years

Rio de Janeiro - The giant statue of Christ the Redeemer is as inseparable from Brazilian Rio de Janeiro as the famous Copacabana beach, the annual samba festival, or the impoverished favelas. The statue, which stands three dozen meters high on Corcovado Mountain, was ceremoniously unveiled 80 years ago, on October 12, 1931.
    The idea to build a statue of the Redeemer on Corcovado first emerged in 1859. It originated in the mind of priest Pedro Maria Boss, who presented it to Brazilian Princess Isabel. However, the idea fell into obscurity for many years and resurfaced only with the approaching centenary of the country’s declaration of independence in 1822. In the meantime, a railway was built to the top of the mountain, which helped the plans to construct the monument.
    The cornerstone of the Christ statue was laid in early April 1922, and the following year, the design of Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa was selected in an architectural competition. The statue itself, however, is the work of French sculptor Paul Landowski. Work on the monument began in 1926, and five years later, on October 12, 1931, the completed work was ceremoniously unveiled.
    The statue of Christ the Redeemer is made of a reinforced concrete structure that is clad on the outside with a mantle of soapstone. This extremely soft mineral was chosen for its dull white color and ease of processing. Interestingly, the mortar used in the construction of the statue contains, in addition to common ingredients, such "exotic" components such as sugar and even whale fat.
    Contrary to original expectations, the 30-meter high statue has not so much become a pilgrimage site, but rather a tourist attraction. From the observation terrace at its base, one can enjoy one of the most beautiful views of Guanabara Bay and Rio de Janeiro. Thanks to this, the statue of Christ the Redeemer is reportedly the most visited site in Brazil.
    Those who do not want to undertake the physically demanding and lengthy journey can take a train to the top of Corcovado, which runs on the oldest electrified railway line in the country. This route was opened 127 years ago by the second and last Brazilian emperor, Pedro II. Since then, its services have been used by notable figures such as Albert Einstein, Princess Diana, and Pope John Paul II. Passengers initially faced an ascent of 220 steps. However, in 2003, the stairs were replaced with escalators and elevators.
    Brazilians are justifiably proud of the statue, which was voted one of the seven modern wonders of the world in a global poll four years ago. Many were therefore outraged last year by the news that vandals had defaced the monument. Black spray-painted inscriptions such as "When the cat’s away, the mice will play" covered Christ's head, arms, and chest. The perpetrators accessed the statue via scaffolding that was set up for renovations. Mayor Eduardo Paes labeled the tragic act the first vandalism event since the statue's completion in 1931 as a "crime against the homeland." The inscriptions were fully removed from the dull white stone.
    For many years, the Rio de Janeiro Christ, at 30 meters, was the tallest statue of Jesus in the world. It wasn’t until 1994 that it was surpassed by the 34.2-meter-high statue of Christ the Tuner raised in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Currently, since last year, the tallest statue of Christ can be found in the town of Świebodzin in western Poland. With the inclusion of its golden metal crown, the Redeemer measures 36 meters, and if accounting for the artificially raised hill from which the statue emerges, it measures over 52 meters.