Brazilian jesus statue. Sculptural compositions (15). Monuments to Jesus

Many have seen images of a huge statue of Jesus Christ with arms spread wide. Its correct name is the statue of Christ the Redeemer. It rises above the city of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and is located not far from it on the peak of Mount Corcovado. A chic view is this statue in the evening. Illuminated by pillars of light, the figure of Christ seems to be descending into the sleeping city. In Rio de Janeiro, no matter where you look, you will always see this huge statue, which seems to be striving to embrace the whole world with its gigantic arms.

The history of the creation of the statue of Christ the Redeemer

Since ancient times, the mountain on which the statue rises was called the Mountain of Temptation and was mentioned in the Bible. Later, in the Middle Ages, it was called Corcovado, which means "hunchback". This name was given to her in connection with a bizarre shape that resembled a hump. The first expedition to this mountain went in 1824.

For the first time, the idea of creating a statue of Christ on Mount Corcovado came up with the Catholic clergyman Pedro Maria Boss in 1859. When he arrived in Rio de Janeiro, the magnificent view of the mountain overwhelmed him. Then Father Pedro decided to ask Princess Isabella, daughter of the Emperor of Brazil, to finance this project. And to ensure the success of his business, he proposed to name the statue in honor of the princess. However, in those days, the state could not afford such a large expense, so the decision to erect the statue was postponed until 1889. However, even then the plan of Father Pedro was not destined to come true. The church was separated from the state during the change in the form of government, and the clergy could no longer ask for funding for such projects.

In 1884, the construction of the railway was completed, which ran just up to Mount Corcovado. Later, materials for the construction of the statue were brought along this road.

The idea of building a statue of Christ the Redeemer was remembered only in 1921. Then, at the initiative of the Catholic organizations of Rio de Janeiro, it was decided to erect a statue on Mount Corcovado, colossal in size, which could be seen from any part of the city. This monument was to become not only a symbol of Christianity, but also a symbol of the liberation and revival of the country. During the week activists collected signatures and donations, this period was called "Monument Week". The inhabitants of the city liked this idea, they willingly donated various amounts of money. Of course, the church also made considerable financial investments. The erection of the statue of Christ the Redeemer is a real folk project.

The erection of the statue of the "fathers of the city" was also inspired by the fact that very soon, in 1922, Brazil was to celebrate 100 years of independence from Portugal. Therefore, they decided to start building the monument as soon as possible. April 22, 1921 is considered the start date for the creation of the statue of Christ the Redeemer. It was decided to build a monument of reinforced concrete and soapstone.

For the version of the statue that now towers over Rio de Janeiro, we should be grateful to the engineer Heitor da Silva Costa. It was he who suggested depicting Christ with arms outstretched to the sides. The meaning of this pose lies in the phrase "Everything that exists is in the hands of the Lord."

The artist Carlos Oswald completed the image of Christ, and the calculations for the installation of the monument were made by Costa Hisses, Pedro Viana and Heitor Levy. In 1927, everything was ready for the erection of the statue of Christ the Redeemer - from drawings and calculations to materials. The records of those times say that everyone involved in the project was inspired and made every effort. Some engineers and artists even pitched tents and lived near the site where the statue was erected.

An interesting fact is that foreigners also helped the Brazilians in the construction of this monument. For example, the head and hands of Christ were made of plaster in France by the sculptor Paul Landowski and later shipped to Brazil. Also, many French engineers participated in the development of drawings. They also suggested using a reinforced concrete frame, although before that it was decided to make a steel frame. And the soapstone from which the outer layer of the statue was made was brought from Sweden. This material was most suitable for such a colossal structure due to its strength and ease of use.

The erection of the statue lasted about 4 years and, finally, in 1931, a solemn ceremony of opening the statue of Christ the Redeemer took place. The size and complexity of the execution of the monument struck then all those present at the ceremony. There were tears in the eyes of many believers. And after many years, people continue to be amazed by this truly gigantic structure, which carries a hidden meaning.

The greatness of the statue of Christ the Redeemer

Every year, thousands of tourists and pilgrims make the long journey to marvel at the majesty of the statue of Christ the Redeemer. At the same time, the huge and meek figure of Christ spreads his arms over Rio de Janeiro, and maybe the whole world, as if embracing and protecting him. This monument has been recognized as one of the 7 New Wonders of the World. Its height is 38 meters, the arm span is 30 meters, and the monument weighs 1145 tons.

An interesting fact is that during the strongest storm that swept through Rio de Janeiro on July 10, 2008 and caused a lot of destruction to the city, it did not affect the statue of Christ the Redeemer in any way. Even the lightning that hit her left no trace. Pragmatists associate this with the dielectric properties of soapstone, and believers, of course, attach sacred meaning to this fact.

One of the most famous statues in the world and certainly the most recognizable in Brazil is the statue of Christ the Redeemer. Installed on Mount Corcovado at an altitude of more than 700 meters, with outstretched arms in a blessing gesture, it looks at the huge city below it. The statue of Christ in Rio de Janeiro, due to its fame, attracts millions of tourists to Mount Corcovado. From its height, a beautiful view of the ten-millionth city with its bays, beaches, the Maracanã stadium opens up.

In 1884, a small railway was built to the mountain, along which delivery was carried out just later. building materials. The reason for the erection of the monument of Christ was the approaching centenary of the independence of Brazil in 1922. Fundraising was announced to create a monument in what was then the capital of Brazil. For example, the magazine "O Cruzeiro" collected about 2.2 million reais from its subscription. The church, represented by Archbishop Sebastian Leme, was also actively involved in the preparation of the financial fund.

The idea of Christ with outstretched arms, resembling a cross from a distance, belongs to the artist Carlos Osvaldo. According to this first layout, the statue of Christ was supposed to stand on the globe.

The final project, according to which the sculpture was created, was created by Heitor da Silva Costa. According to it, the height of the structure is 38 meters, of which 8 meters goes to the pedestal, and the arm span reaches 28 meters. With such striking dimensions, the total weight of the structure was 1145 tons.

Brazilian technology at that time did not allow most of the work on the implementation of such a project, so all the details of the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Brazil were created in France, from where they were safely delivered to Brazil and according to the built railway climbed to the installation site. From the end of the railway to the statue itself, a path of 220 steps was built, called "Karakol". Interestingly, there is a chapel inside the basement of the monument.

The construction of the monument took about nine years. The opening and consecration of the statue took place on October 12, 1931. The statue quickly assumed the role of a symbol of Rio de Janeiro and all of Brazil. And in 2007 she was chosen as one of the new seven wonders of the world.

Video about the statue of Christ the Redeemer

Where is the statue of Christ the Redeemer on the map?

Read related articles

Beauty and Health Tourism

Statue of Christ the Redeemer: history and location

Where is the statue of Christ the Redeemer

The history of the creation of the statue of Christ the Redeemer

In 1884, the construction of the railway was completed, which ran just up to Mount Corcovado. Later, materials for the construction of the statue were brought along this road.

The idea of building a statue of Christ the Redeemer was remembered only in 1921.

Then, at the initiative of the Catholic organizations of Rio de Janeiro, it was decided to erect a statue on Mount Corcovado, colossal in size, which could be seen from any part of the city. This monument was to become not only a symbol of Christianity, but also a symbol of the liberation and revival of the country. During the week activists collected signatures and donations, this period was called "Monument Week". The inhabitants of the city liked this idea, they willingly donated various amounts of money. Of course, the church also made considerable financial investments. The erection of the statue of Christ the Redeemer is a real folk project.

The records of those times say that everyone involved in the project was inspired and made every effort. Some engineers and artists even pitched tents and lived near the site where the statue was erected.

The greatness of the statue of Christ the Redeemer

The most famous and majestic statue in Rio de Janeiro - the figure of Christ the Redeemer, which adorns the top of the South American mountain Corcovado.

This is the largest statue of Christ in Brazil: he spread his arms over the bustling metropolis in a blessing gesture. The construction has long attracted tourists from all over the world - tours to Corcovado are popular due to visiting observation decks, as well as beautiful views of the city of ten million people, cozy bays and coves, clubs and Ipanema beach, and the grandiose famous Maracanã Stadium. The monument was erected in the center national park Tijuca.

Statue of Christ in Rio: history

In 1921, the country was preparing to celebrate the approaching centenary of Brazil's independence. By this date, it was decided to build a monument to Christ the Redeemer on Corcovado. The city authorities announced a competition for best project monument, fundraising began immediately.

More than 2.2 million reais were collected for the construction of Christ statues in Brazil. The Catholic Church was active in financing the project. The archbishop of the city, Sebastian Leme, supervised the construction of an architectural masterpiece.

The original version of the monument was a sketch by the talented artist Carlos Oswald, who proposed depicting the Savior with his hands open in a gesture of blessing. A statue in Brazil would become a unique symbol of the Christian faith and would look like a huge cross. They planned to install the reinforced concrete Jesus on a pedestal made in the shape of a globe. The Brazilian engineer da Silva Costa developed the final design for the national monument.

During construction, soapstone was used, thanks to which the statue was well strengthened, giving its surface a special aesthetic.

The country's technologies did not provide for the presence of workshops of this magnitude, therefore, in order to implement the project, it was decided to create a masterpiece in parts in France. In the mid-20s, the French sculptor Landowski modeled the head of the future statue, which was about 4 meters high. Next, we started making hands. Gradually, all the details were made of hard and pliable stone, but they needed to be carefully transported up the mountain.

The statue in Rio de Janeiro was taken to Brazil disassembled and lifted up a small railway built specifically for this purpose. From the tracks they laid the path of Caracol - the workers lifted the details of the monument along 220 steps.

It took nine years to build this grandiose statue in Rio de Janeiro. The height of the finished structure was 38 meters, of which more than 30 meters were allocated directly to the figure of Christ. The statue weighs 635 tons, while the span of its arms reached 28 meters. It was decided to install Jesus on a picturesque natural hill 700 meters high.

On a solemn date in October 1931, the authorities and citizens opened and consecrated this new character Rio.

Design features

The most beautiful statue in Brazil, due to its majestic size and successful landscape, is perfectly visible even on long distance. You can admire the real magnificence in the evening - the statue is lit by a whole system of huge spotlights.

Inside this statue of Christ, famous outside of Brazil, a chapel was opened, located in the basement. Now the chapel has become a place of pilgrimage for wedding corteges. Tourists willingly come here, who, in addition to impressions, try to take with them miniature stone models of the statue from the local souvenir shop.

The hands of Christ are wide open in the arms of Christ: the gesture symbolizes sincere and all-forgiving love for people. locals believe that Jesus embraces everyone who comes to him. In 2007, the statue was chosen as one of the new wonders of the world.

The observation deck is located at the feet of the statue: you can go up there by escalator, highway or steps. From the site, magical panoramas of Rio and the surrounding area open up.

For several times the monument has been subjected to prophylactic and overhaul. In 2008, the statue was hit by lightning and was slightly damaged: restoration work lasted two years. The craftsmen managed to renew the outer layer of the stone, repair the statue's fingers and head, and install new lightning rods. In the same year, the monument was subjected to an unexpected act of vandalism - climbing on the scaffolding, the attackers left inscriptions and drawings on the face of Christ.

Every year, the statue undergoes mandatory state control and inspection, work is underway to prevent corrosion and improve the protection of the monument.

To see this grandiose statue in Brazil with your own eyes, you should go on a trip to the South American continent. Specialists will be able to offer many options for visiting this country on the most acceptable terms and at reasonable prices!

It is one of the largest, and definitely the most famous statue of all that embodied the image of the Son of God. The main symbol of Rio de Janeiro and Brazil in general, the statue of Christ the Redeemer has attracted great amount pilgrims and tourists. And in Brazil, it is included in the list of seven wonders of the world of our time.

The reinforced concrete statue of Christ towering over Rio de Janeiro was made according to the classical technology of that time: inside the frame is made of inexpensive materials, outside - some sculptural stone, in this case - soapstone. The height of the statue of Jesus Christ the Redeemer is thirty meters. Another eight meters is the pedestal. Contrary to popular belief, this is not the largest statue of Jesus Christ - it is 14 meters lower than the overall height of the Polish statue of Christ the King, and two and a half meters lower than the Bolivian sculpture of Cristo de la Concordia.

Home hallmark the statues are arms wide open - on closer inspection, Christ the Redeemer blesses the city, looking at it, slightly tilting his head. But from afar, the sculpture takes the form of a huge cross - the main symbol of redemption and Christianity. The famous arm span of the Redeemer reaches 28 meters - a length almost equal to the height sculptures without a pedestal. The appearance of Christ is classical, accepted in the Catholic and Orthodox traditions- thin, slightly elongated face with protruding cheekbones, long hair, beard. Jesus is dressed in a Jewish chiton, with pieces of cloth thrown over his shoulders.

History of creation

The idea to build a statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro, which at that time was the capital of Brazil, came to the head of the local government in 1921 - a year before the centenary of the Brazilian National Independence. The end of the 19th century gave the world several state symbols - in 1886 the Statue of Liberty was opened in the USA, and in 1889 - the Eiffel Tower in France. The Brazilians also dreamed of their own outstanding monument for a long time, but there was not enough public funds for this. But the centenary independent state Brazil united members of the government, and ordinary residents, and ministers of the church - money for the construction was collected during the year, according to a special subscription to the Cruzeiro magazine.

The collected amount amounted to two and a half million miles and was immediately sent to France - it was there that the details of the statue were to be made. Since 1923, individual parts of the Redeemer were delivered to Rio de Janeiro by rail, and then, with the help of an electric train, they climbed Mount Corcovado, a construction site chosen through a survey of the same Cruzeiro magazine.

For nine whole years, the construction of the statue of Jesus Christ continued - the grand opening took place on October 12, 1931, on the same day the sculpture was officially consecrated.

Project authors

Brazilian sculptor Carlos Oswald designed general form of the future monument back in 1921 - even then Jesus stood with outstretched arms like a cross, slightly bowing his head, but instead of the usual pedestal under his feet, according to the sketch, he should have Earth. The sketch was approved, but during the further processing of the project, this idea had to be abandoned - the ball under the sculpture weighing 600 tons, located on the mountain, seemed very unstable and short-lived. The final look of the future statue of Jesus Christ was developed by the famous Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa - it was his project that was eventually sent to the French. In the photo below, Silva Costa with a miniature of the future statue.

In France, more than 50 architects, sculptors and engineers worked on the details of the statue. The head and hands of Christ were modeled by the famous Parisian sculptor Paul Landowski - it took a year, and then, for another six years, Gheorghe Leonid, a sculptor of Romanian origin, performed the head according to the created models. The final facing of the statue was carried out by Carlos Oswald, the same author of the first drawing of the future statue.

The exact location of the monument

The most accurate answer to the question of where the statue of Jesus Christ the Redeemer is located is the address of the monument. In the official guide to Rio de Janeiro, it sounds like this: national park Tijuca, Alto da Boa Vista, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. However, in any navigator, it is enough to write the name of the statue - this object is too famous not to be found.

Path to the Redeemer

There are several ways to get to the statue - when coming to Rio for the first time, many go to the monument along the freeway by car or public transport. This method is fast, but not very interesting. Experienced tourists recommend going up to the statue of the Redeemer by electric train - the first in Brazil and the very one with which the details of the future sculpture were delivered to Corcovada almost a hundred years ago. This path, although it will take a little longer, will certainly leave an unforgettable impression due to the picturesque landscapes and a leisurely ascent to the highest point of Rio de Janeiro, where the statue of Jesus Christ is located. Since 2003, the ascent to the observation deck has been equipped with escalators - so now tourists with any physical abilities can climb to the Redeemer.

Church attitude

The main monument of Brazil is not only an architectural monument and a lure for tourists - it is an important religious site for both the believing inhabitants of Brazil and for Christians around the world. In addition to the very first consecration, on the opening day in 1931, the statue of Jesus Christ was re-consecrated in 1965 by Pope Paul VI himself, who came to Rio specifically for this. In 1981, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the sculpture, it was again unofficially consecrated by Pope John Paul II, who came to the feast.

In 2007, near the statue of Jesus Christ, a divine service was held by the priests of the Russian Orthodox Church who arrived in Rio de Janeiro to celebrate the friendly Days of Russia in Latin America. In 2016, the servants of the Russian Orthodox Church again arrived at the foot of the statue of the Redeemer, where Patriarch Kirill performed a prayer service in memory of persecuted Christians.

Regularly - according to meteorologists, at least four times a year - lightning strikes the statue of the Redeemer. This is not surprising, since the head of Christ is the most high point Rio de Janeiro and a kind of lightning rod. Unfortunately, lightning often leaves damage after being struck, but representatives of the Brazilian Catholic Church are enterprising people, and since the moment of construction they have kept a huge supply of unused soapstone, which is constantly involved in cosmetic restoration, without distorting the general appearance of the monument.

But not only nature encroaches on the beauty of the sculpture - in 2010, vandals attacked the statue of Christ the Redeemer. Unknown people stained the face and hands of the monument with black paint and inscriptions. Fortunately, these outrages were instantly removed, and since then guards have been regularly on duty around the statue and a video surveillance system has been installed.

From an unprecedented height. The statue spread its arms wide, as if hugging and protecting the city. Today, this monument is perhaps the main attraction.

History of the statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro is beautiful. Founded in 1502, the city has been the capital of beauty and a center of tourism for 4 centuries. “God created the world in six days, and on the seventh day he created Rio de Janeiro” - this is how the Brazilians lovingly say about their fabulously beautiful city.

It is believed that the most cheerful people. Until 1960, Rio was the capital. The city is surrounded by a semi-circle of mountains rising from the azure depths of the bay, and from the sea it is as if edged with a white edge of sandy beaches.

In 1922, during the celebration of the centenary of Brazil's independence, it was decided to build a statue that would become the main attraction of the country. A month later, a design competition for the best monument, the symbol of the nation, was announced in Brazil's leading weekly. The jury unanimously approved the project of Hector da Silva Costa, who proposed to install a statue of Christ embracing the city, as if protecting it from troubles and misfortunes. Catholic Church fully supported new project, even began collecting donations for the installation of the statue. As a result, after nine years, the statue was already standing in its designated place.

The monument was designed and made in Paris. The design of the monument had to be as strong as possible, because, standing at the very top, the statue would be exposed to strong and heavy rains.

The sculpture was modeled by the French sculptor Paul Landowski. In parallel, engineers led by Heitoru Silva Costa and Pedro Viano developed the frame.

The finished statue was brought from Paris to Rio de Janeiro and installed on the hill of Corcovado. On October 12, 1931, its grand opening took place. In 1965, Pope Paul VI repeated the consecration ceremony. Another great celebration took place here in the presence of Pope John Paul II on October 12, 1981, when the fiftieth anniversary of the monument was celebrated.

Features of the statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro

The statue of the Savior (Cristo Redentor) is rightfully considered a symbol of Rio. It stands on the top of the Corcovado hill (“Corcovado” in Portuguese means “hump”, the name quite aptly characterizes the shape of the hill) at an altitude of 704 meters. The sight of the stone Savior, spreading his arms, as if embracing the whole city, is undoubtedly impressive.

The monument attracts a large number of tourists. Built in 1885, the tram line now leads almost to the top of the hill: the final stop is just forty meters below the statue. From it you need to climb the 220 steps of the stairs to the pedestal, on which the observation deck is located. There are also lifts at the disposal of visitors.

Rumors that the monument is visible from anywhere in Rio de Janeiro, of course, are greatly exaggerated. Even if you come close to the mountain, the statue will seem like a small figure against the sky. However, its size is impressive. The height of the statue is 30 meters, not counting the seven-meter pedestal; the head of the statue weighs 35.6 tons, the hands weigh 9.1 tons each, and the arm span is 23 meters.