Corcovado

Published by jacko77 on Mon Jul 13th, 2009

Rio's most famous site is of no doubt the vast statue of Christ the Redeemer which stands gazing across the bay from the Corcovado hills with his arms stretched out as if he is welcoming everybody to come to him for protection through the storms of this life.

The Art Deco statue stands 30M high and weighs in the region of 1000 metric tons, it was due for completion in 1922 but did not get completed until 1931.

Climbing to the statue is part of the adventure with stunning views and a great experience, if you go in the day you will get breathtaking views of the whole of Rio and the Guanabara Bay is laid out right before your eyes.  In the dark evenings it can been seen for miles around the Zona Sul area with its floodlit lights.

You will come across hovering clouds at the base of the statue which is driven up by the warm currents and the thousands of insects which cluster around the spotlights, this will give you the impression that the statue seems to be floating in mid air.

On a clear day you will be able to see many of the outlying districts around Rio which makes it a great way for getting your orientation of the city.