Christ the Redeemer statue.

From the top of Corcovado Mountain offers stunning views - a long strip of Copacabana Beach, the peak of Sugar Loaf, and over the city, a magical city of Rio de Janeiro! From this point, perhaps, we can not consider only the symbol of the big city and a symbol of Brazil - Statue of Christ Redeemer, because we are just at its foot. It is best to admire the 38-meter giant in the evening, on board a small plane hired by a predatory price - that's when architectural masterpiece is presented in all its glory. Jesus, enveloped in a pillar of light from the spotlights, as if coming down from heaven, hovering over the city. The view from any point on the Rio statue of Christ, no less fascinating: it seems that Jesus wants us to embrace, invites to join his flock. He stretches out his hands to us, forgiving and pitying.

The history of the statue of Christ the Redeemer has its origins in XVI century, when the Portuguese named the peak, which is a statue, "the mountain of temptation," is mentioned in the Bible. Some time later renamed Mount Corcovado (Corcovado), which means "hunchback." This nickname was due to the top bizarre-like a hump. Historically, witnessed the existence of mountains, the future of the pedestal of the statue of Christ the Redeemer, registered in 1824, when the first official expedition was carried out on the 700-meter Corcovado mountain.

In 1859 a Catholic priest Pedro Maria Boss arrived in Rio de Janeiro and was struck by the mysterious beauty of Mount Corcovado. Soon after his father Pedro offered to build a monument on top of it to Christ, and asked the princess Isabella appropriations, the daughter of the then Emperor of Brazil, Pedro II. In order that the chances of receiving funds increased, savvy Pedro offered to dedicate the statue named Princess. However, the illustrious lady did not come to the delight of the huge expenses and deferred the matter until 1889. In the end, "Napoleon's plans," while it did not come true, because it is in 1889, Emperor Pedro II abdicated and the monarchy gave way to a republican government. Since the church was legally separated from the state, and the thought of the monument fell into the background. While the country cared about the problems of survival, and no one wanted to invest in such an expensive project.

In the years of neglect the idea of ​​the statue has started another project - the laying of a railway from the city center to the mountain of Corcovado. In the period from 1859 to 1921 the priest Dom Pedro agreed to take part in the design and development of the railway to the mountain of Corcovado, which runs between the street Cosme Velkhiev (Cosme Velho) and Paineiras. In the future this road will play a key role in supplying the top of the building materials for the future of the statue. The opening of the narrow railway length of 3.8 km. took place in 1884.

The idea of ​​erecting the statue of Christ the Redeemer, "the city fathers," came later. In 1921, the Catholic organization in Rio de Janeiro offered to build a monument to the colossal size of the Corcovado, which is visible from every corner of the amazing Rio, and which will become the new symbol of a free country. The activists held a gathering signatures and donations of the citizens of the city - the event was called "Monument Week". The proposal has caused a great response among the public and the money flowed a river. Statue of Christ the Redeemer can be called a national project. Immediately after the elections were organized by the additional fees for the construction of the statue, which took an active part, and the entire population of Rio County, as well as church. In an ambitious project has been spent over 2 million flights ($ 250,000) - an enormous sum at that time.

In 1922 he was getting a great event - the centenary of Brazilian independence from Portugal (celebrated in September every year), which inspired the leaders of the beautiful city of Rio de Janeiro for an early decision on the construction of the statue of Christ the Redeemer. Preliminary work began on 22 April (according to some reports - April 4), this day was laid the first foundation stone for the statue. The material for the erection of statues served as a "Soap" stone and concrete.

Administration of Rio de Janeiro announced a design competition in which there is a serious competition from the participants. Offers a wealth of options for the statue of Christ the Redeemer, in the end in September this year, the project engineer Heitor da Silva Costa (Heitor da Silva Costa) was the best. The concept proposed by the architect, was in that posture of Jesus Christ with outstretched arms to the sides, was to depict a cross, and a massive pedestal - the globe (but, in consequence, the shape of the base has been changed). Thus, the sculpture is designed to give people one thought - "All things in the hands of the Lord."

The final design of the monument was designed by a talented artist Carlos Oswald (Carlos Oswald). Finally, in 1927, the creative team of architects, artists and engineers designed a model of the statues of various sizes, and all was ready for the construction of the monument. Costa made the necessary calculations Hisses (Coast Hisses). He was assisted by Pedro Vyana (Pedro Viana) and Heitor Levy (Heitor Levy), who during the whole period of the erection of the statue near the monument lived under a canopy in the forest.

Active part in the construction took a well-known French sculptor of Polish origin, Paul Landowski (Paul Landowski), he modeled and made of plaster of the statue's head and hands, which were then shipped from France to Brazil. Generally, to create a sculpture in France labored many engineers and technicians. They have suggested that the steel frame on reinforced concrete, since this support is more appropriate for structures of this type. The outer layer is made of soapstone, which attracted sculptors, ease of use and durability, which leads to a high content of magnesium in the rock. Stone imported specially from Sweden (mine Lymhamn).

All the necessary building material, as well as groups of workers involved in the construction of the Statue of Christ the Savior, brought to the top of Corcovado on the railway track that connects the street Cosme Velha and Paineiras. Today it is an iron sheet used exclusively for transportation of tourists. The small train with a red, cheerful carriages, promptly delivers travel almost to the monument. Note that the electric railway line, was the first in Brazil. Total route from downtown to the Corcovado runs two trains, each consisting of two cars. A trip to the foot of the statue is about 20 minutes. Trains leave every half hour - the first departs from the halt in 8:30 in the morning and the last - at 18-30. Every hour on the train to the monument of Christ the Redeemer is delivered to about 360 people. There is also an alternative road, it goes on the Tijuca National Park, visitors can take a taxi to get to the monument with great comfort. The remaining 223 steps to the top of the way, tourists and pilgrims are overcome, tape up the automatic escalator, which is determined by the way, only in 2003. The road leading to the statue, very tortuous, so it is the locals called them "Caracol" ("snail").

In 1931 occurred the famous, great event in the history of the statue of Christ the Redeemer: the opening ceremony of the monument, which was accomplished on October 12. Product specification and size sculpture then amazed the audience. But now, in the days of skyscrapers and high-tech, the greatness of the monument are delighted townsfolk. The height of a giant - 38 feet (30 meters - the actual statue and 8 meters - a pedestal). Weight of the structure, including the base, more than 1,100 tons. One only Head of Christ the Redeemer weighs about 36 tons, and hands together, the "pull" by 18.2 tonnes. The scope of the hands of the statue according to exact measurements, as recorded in the documentation that is 23 meters (not 30, as is commonly believed). Even in our time in the 2000 illumination system was replaced by a more modern, and now at night, a statue of Christ the Redeemer stands out on the vone sky.

In the interior of the marble plinth (base) there was a place for the chapel in which prayers are made, are weddings, baptisms and other ceremonial events. The chapel was built in honor of the 75th anniversary of the monument, in its coverage of attended Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro, Cardinal EO Shade. This chapel is named in honor of the patroness of Brazil, it is Our Lady of Aparecida. The monument itself was often consecrated bishops of the Roman Catholic Church (Pope Paul VI and John Paul II).

Already in 30th years of the statue in the evenings and at night lit up by spotlights, which are governed by short radio waves specialist from Rome (Guglielmo Marconi). Imagine the signal was broadcast on 9200 km.! However, during bad weather conditions there were interruptions in the light, and soon led the illumination is from Rio de Janeiro.

An interesting fact. Statue of Christ Redeemer, even went around the storm that raged July 10, 2008, which does not damage the monument, although the wind and lightning knocked down trees and brought severe damage to several nearby neighborhoods of Rio. This resistance of the statue because soapstone acted as an insulator, so the electrical charge from lightning was quickly extinguished on the surface of the sculpture.

The state statue is currently not a concern. Repair and restoration of the monument were carried out more than once in 75 years of sculpture. The first overhaul of the monument survived in 1980, and the second - in 1990.

Undoubtedly, the Statue of Christ the Redeemer is a symbol of Rio de Janeiro, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. In Rio, you can see at once, two Miracle World - Statue of Christ and exciting carnival. Of course, for Christian pilgrims Carnival procession is of no value, they are attracted by a monument. It is said that at the foot of the statue of a special atmosphere, the air is saturated with holiness and splendor.

The greatest influx of tourists and pilgrims is happening before Easter and during the Carnival season. Now the number of travelers each year, rising to Corcovado, has reached 1 million people a year. The flow of tourists has increased after the July 7, 2007 The Statue of Christ the Redeemer among the seven New Wonders of the World. Without a doubt, the monument of Christ on Corcovado Mountain is one of the greatest sculptural works of art in the world.

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The statue of Christ the Redeemer, there are a few doubles. For example, a statue of Christo Rei (Christ the King), which is located in Lisbon (built in 1949-1959.). Her height is about 28 meters, but instead used the podium of a hill about 80 meters tall.

In Vung Tau (Vietnam), similar to the statue of Christ with outstretched arms, was erected in 1972. It stands on a small hill (height 132 meters) and has the following parameters: height - 32 meters, and arm span, slightly less than 20 meters.

On the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia (a Muslim country!) In 2007 completed the construction of a 30 meter giant, depicting Jesus Christ, his arms over the metropolis Monad.

There's even a stone, Jesus Christ in East Timor, near the state capital - Dili (the height of the monument - 27 meters).

Sculptures depicting Jesus as built in Malta, in the Dominican Republic, Italy, Honduras. Planned construction of such monuments in Slovakia and Germany.

Christ the Redeemer statue itself in Rio de Janeiro is often equated with other grandiose architectural buildings past and present - the Statue of Liberty (USA), Mother Motherland (Volgograd, Russia), and even the Colossus of Rhodes (Rodos)