Christ the Redeemer (Cristo Redentor)

Christ the Redeemer stands on the summit of Corcovado, a peak of about 700 metres inside Tijuca National Park, with its arms open over the city. The statue is 30 metres tall, rising to 38 metres with its pedestal, its arms span 28 metres and it weighs around 635 tonnes. It is built of reinforced concrete covered in a layer of soapstone, and it was dedicated on 12 October 1931 after construction that began in 1922.

The idea of a Christian monument on the mountain was first proposed in the 1850s, dropped after Brazil became a republic in 1889 and revived by Rio's Catholic Circle in 1920. The engineer Heitor da Silva Costa led the project, the French sculptor Paul Landowski created the figure, Albert Caquot worked on the reinforced-concrete design and the Romanian sculptor Gheorghe Leonida made the face. The statue is often described as the largest Art Deco sculpture in the world. At the opening in 1931 the floodlights were meant to be switched on remotely from Rome by Guglielmo Marconi, but bad weather meant they were lit on site instead.

Brazil listed the statue as national heritage in 2001, and on 7 July 2007 it was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Because the summit is high and exposed, it is regularly hit by lightning; strikes in 2008 and 2014 damaged the head and fingers, and a four-month restoration in 2010 used stone from the original quarry.

The classic way up is the Corcovado train from its station at Rua Cosme Velho 513. The railway has been running since 1884 and describes itself as the oldest tourist ride in the country. Tickets are dated and sold on its website, with a published rebooking and cancellation policy, and there is a ticket category for disabled visitors. Since the views depend on the weather, it is worth checking the forecast before choosing a train time.

At the top, escalators, walkways and lifts installed in 2003 lead to the platform around the statue, which helps anyone who finds stairs difficult. Beneath the statue is a small chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Aparecida, consecrated in October 2006 and used for baptisms and weddings.

Parque Lage, at the foot of Corcovado, is the start of a forest trail to the summit for those who prefer to walk, and the Botanical Garden lies in the same Jardim Botânico district, so the three combine well in one day.