Christ the Redeemer

Art Deco Statue Completed 1931 On Corcovado, Inside Tijuca National Park; Named One Of The New 7 Wonders Of The World In 2007; Part Of The Rio De Janeiro UNESCO World Heritage Landscape · Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro

Christ the Redeemer stands with open arms on the summit of Corcovado, a granite peak about 700 metres above the middle of Rio, and is one of the most recognised monuments in the world. The Art Deco statue, about 30 metres tall on an 8-metre pedestal, was designed by the French sculptor Paul Landowski and built in reinforced concrete faced with a mosaic of soapstone tiles; it was completed in 1931. It was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007. The statue is the frame; the view is the reason to go up. From the platform the whole city spreads out below - Sugarloaf and Guanabara Bay, Copacabana and Ipanema, the lagoon, the Maracanã - in a way no other viewpoint in Rio matches. Most people ride the rack railway up through the Tijuca Forest; official vans run from the city too. The summit is often in cloud, and the platform is crowded most of the day. There is a small chapel in the base, still used for Masses and weddings. Go early, and go on a clear day.

Parque Nacional da Tijuca, Alto da Boa Vista, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Open every day, from morning until early evening, including most holidays. There are two official ways up. The Corcovado rack railway leaves from Cosme Velho at set intervals, and its tickets are sold for timed departures, so on busy days the next free train can be hours away if you turn up without a booking. Official vans leave from points in Copacabana, Largo do Machado and the Paineiras visitor centre, and include the entry. Unofficial drivers take you only as far as Paineiras, where you queue again for the official shuttle. The site can close temporarily in thunderstorms, because the statue attracts lightning, and in very high winds. Tickets are not refunded if the summit is in cloud. Access arrangements, operators and hours have changed several times over the years, so confirm the current system before going rather than trusting an old guidebook.

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