Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro

One of the main attractions of Brazil, monument, famous throughout the world, was the statue of Christ the Redeemer, located on top of a mountain in Rio de Janeiro. To the monument attracts millions of pilgrims from all over the world. Enjoy the beauty of the gigantic 38-meter statue of the best in the evening on board a small plane - in the spotlight Jesus rises above the city.
Mountain on which the statue today, at the beginning of XVI century was called "the mountain of temptation," and was later renamed Corcovado (Corcovado - translated as "hunchback"). Arrived in Rio in 1859, a Catholic priest Pedro Maria Boss was so struck by the beauty of Corcovado, which proposed to build on top of a mountain monument to Christ. For this purpose he requested funds from the daughter of Emperor Pedro II of Brazil Princess Isabella. However, the Emperor's abdication, the beginning of Republican rule, the construction made it impossible for the time the implementation of this ambitious project for the construction of an exclusive monument. Returned to him until 1921. The initiator of the project were Catholic organizations have offered to erect a monument on Corcovado enormous size, which would become the symbol of the new free Brazil. The population of Rio de Janeiro were enthusiastic about this idea, and donations brought good money. For the project were spent huge money at that time: 2 million flights (250 thousand dollars).
On the eve of the century Brazilian independence from Portugal in 1922, were initiated preparatory work, the foundation was laid. In the competition to design the statue of Christ the Redeemer won work Heitor da Silva Costa. He proposed to depict Jesus with his arms spread apart, which would symbolize the cross. However, the final version of the project carried out Carlos Oswald and the calculations - Costa Hisses by Pedro Viana and Heitor Levy. The opening ceremony of the monument was held in 1931, on October 12.
Statue of Christ is a structure which is based on reinforced concrete frame and an outer layer of solid soapstone, specially imported from Sweden. Even today, in the age of high technology and skyscrapers, the size and grandeur of the monument to amaze and delight. The total height of the monument is 38 meters, weight - 1100 tons and span - 23 meters. In the middle of the marble pedestal of the chapel, where prayer services, weddings, baptisms and other Christian activities.