" Christ Redeemer represent the soul of the Brazilian people, open arms to the whole world!"
quoted by New7wonders Voters.
The Christ Redeemer stands on top of Mount Corcovado at around 38 metres tall having a view of Rio de Janeiro. This statue of Jesus was designed by Brazilian Heitor da Silva Costa and created by Paul Landowski, a French Sculptor. The Christ Redeemer is one of the world's best-known monuments. It took 5 years to build and on October 12, 1931 it was inaugurated. It became a symbol of the city and warmth of the Brazilian people, hence the quote.
In 16th century, the Portuguese gave name to the mountain, Pinaculo da Tentasao (The Pinnacle (peak) of Temptation). Then the name changed to Corcovado after one century. The name came from its shape, which looks like a hump or hunchback. Dom Pedro is the first person made an official expedition to Corcovado Mountain. After the expedition, an accessible way to the top of the Corcovado Mountain was opened.
The mysterious beauty of Corcovado mountain had made the Vincentian father , Pedro Maria Boss interested to construct a religious monument in honour of Princess Isabel in year 1859. In 1921, Princess Isabel supported the idea of a great statue of Christ that could be viewed from the marvelous city of Rio.
The construction of the Corcovado Railroad line between Cosme Velho and Paineiras began in 1858 and finished in 1921. This railroad line would be an essential part of undertaking the Redentor. On the 22nd April 1922, the work began on the embarkations of Brazilian independence and a milepeal in the statue, for fulfilling the ambitious project with the fundamental stone being put in place. In September , a national fundraising campaign is organized for the engineer Heitor da Silva Costa project that had been chosen for the works.
The construction of the Statue of Christ the Redeemer started after all calculations were done by Coast Hisses. He was helped by Pedro Viana and Heitor Levy, who were resided in a shed of wood at the foot of the monument during the years of construction.
Trains was the main transportation to transport all the necessary work materials and construction workers from the street Cosme Velha to the construction site and back. Today, the trains function as a tourist train to the top. It is the first train to work by electricity.
The fine artist, Carlos Oswald and the French sculptor Paul Landowski was placed in charge of executing the sculpture as an author of the final design of the monument. The monument becomes the largest art deco sculpture in the world. The quality of the monument had been ensured up till today by completed several reforms.
www.new7wonders.com/index.php?id=397
http://www.copacabana.info/Christ-the-Redeemer-history.html
Done By: Wali (Wonders crew)