The largest Art Deco statue and the fifth largest statue of Jesus in the world, Christ the Redeemer, a statue of Jesus Christ, overlooks Rio de Janeiro and can been seen miles away as people approach the city.

As stunning as the statue looks, especially when it is lit up in the night, is the breathtaking panoramic view of the city from the statue — something that attracts visitors to make the climb up the peak of the 700m Corcovado mountain in Tijuca Forest National Park, some 710 meters above the city.

This cross-shaped statue is the ‘youngest’ of the new Seven Wonders of the World, built between 1922 and 1931, and a grand ceremony marked its inauguration on October 12, 1931.

Christo Redentor, as it’s known in Portuguese, is considered a symbol of peace. It is 39.6 metres (130 ft) tall, including its 9.5 metres (31 ft) pedestal, and 30 metres (98 ft) wide, and the span from finger tip to fingertip is 28m, and weighs 635 tonnes. The cost of the statue at that time was the equivalent of $250,000 today!

Brazil has a large population of Roman Catholics and the idea of the statue was first suggested in the mid 1850s by a Catholic priest Pedro Maria Boss. He wanted a religious monument in the city but could not get a financial backing to support his idea. He had also suggested the site of such a monument after being captivated by the mysterious beauty of the Corcovado Mountain.

Again, in 1921, the Catholic Circle of Rio proposed the idea of a monument and public support and donations were sought. Thus the statue is largely financed by the Catholics of Brazil. A French sculptor, Paul Landowski, designed it while a local engineer, Heitor da Silva Costa, supervised the construction.

A railroad linked the city to Corcovado, and that was how workers and building material were transported to the site. Today, the railroad transport tourists who come to admire this great wonder and scenic view of the city from there. The building material comprised reinforced concrete as that was considered a more suitable material for the statue, with the outer layers being a mosaic of soapstone as it is offers good protection from weather conditions and is easy to shape.

There have been modifications at the site over the years, such as escalators and elevators being added there in 2003 for an easier access to the viewing platform. In October 2006, on the statue’s 75th anniversary, a chapel was opened under the statue where baptisms and weddings now take place. Powerful lighting was added to light up this remarkable landmark at night, making it visible from a great distance.

In 2008, lightning struck the monument damaging the fingers, eyebrows and head and in 2010 the statue was vandalised when someone sprayed it with paint, leading to the Mayer of Rio de Janeiro calling it “a crime against the nation”. Restorations were carried out using stones from the quarry that the original pieces were from.

The Christ the Redeemer statue is one of the most significant land marks of the world and tourists come all year round to see it. The viewing platform offers a spectacular view of the whole city of Rio de Janeiro and the harbour beyond.

While much simpler than many of the wonders of the world that we have discussed in these pages, it is nevertheless a masterpiece of human skill.