Which Brazilian statue overlooks Rio de Janeiro?

Christ the Redeemer is the Brazilian statue that overlooks Rio de Janeiro from the summit of Corcovado mountain. Its outstretched arms have made it one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks.

The Art Deco monument stands in Tijuca National Park and faces the city from a peak about 700 metres above sea level. Construction took place between 1922 and 1931. Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa designed the project with French engineer Albert Caquot, while French-Polish sculptor Paul Landowski created the main sculptural work and Romanian sculptor Gheorghe Leonida made the face.

The statue is about 30 metres tall, excluding its 8-metre pedestal, and its arms span 28 metres. It is built from reinforced concrete and covered with soapstone tiles. An earlier proposal showed Christ holding a globe and cross, but the design was changed to the welcoming pose seen today.

Dedicated on 12 October 1931, Christ the Redeemer is both a Christian monument and a cultural symbol of Rio and Brazil. In 2007, it was selected as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.