Three men, one statue
Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa designed it, French sculptor Paul Landowski modelled the head and hands in Paris, and Romanian sculptor Gheorghe Leonida carved the face.
Urban Tales › Rio de Janeiro › Christ the Redeemer
Christ the Redeemer: the history, and the face carved by someone else
Thirty metres of concrete and soapstone with arms open over the city, 700 metres above the sea. Here's what you're looking at, and what to listen for when you get there.
Completed1931
Height30 m + 8 m pedestal
Altitude≈ 700 m (Corcovado)
New 7 Wonders2007
Hear the Christ the Redeemer story, in the app's voice
A short preview. The full story plays on its own when you walk up to it with Urban Tales.
Three stories most visitors miss
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A skin of soapstone
The concrete is covered with thousands of small triangles of soapstone, chosen because it's durable and easy to work.
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Lightning on the summit
As the highest point around, the statue is struck by lightning several times a year; in 2014 a strike chipped the tip of the right thumb.
TipTake the first train up the Corcovado rack railway in the morning, before the clouds and the crowds arrive. With Urban Tales running, the statue's story plays as you reach the top.
Nearby landmarks
Christ the Redeemer: common questions
When was Christ the Redeemer built?
Construction took about nine years; the statue was inaugurated in 1931.
Who made Christ the Redeemer?
Engineer Heitor da Silva Costa designed it, Paul Landowski sculpted the head and hands, and Gheorghe Leonida carved the face.
How tall is Christ the Redeemer?
The statue is 30 metres tall, on an 8-metre pedestal, about 700 metres above sea level.