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Before I arrived in the remarkable city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, I had a very organized schedule for sightseeing. Unfortunately, it was going to be a cloudy day with rain in the forecast when I checked the weather before making the trip up to Corcovado Mountain.
“Corcovado” means “hunchback” in Portuguese. It is known worldwide for the cross-shaped statue of Jesus Christ atop its peak, entitled Christ the Redeemer.
Heading to the see the Christ the Redeemer is right at the top of most visitors’ itineraries, including me. But I did not have the luxury to plan my visit for another day when clear skies appear. Therefore, I braced myself up and got on the yellow tram to take me up to the Corcovado Mountain.
The most famous and traditional way to reach Christ the Redeemer is by riding the yellow tram. The tram takes visitors through Atlantic Forest almost to the top of Corcovado Mountain. Visitors can also enjoy the incredible view of the city of Rio de Janeiro along the way. The Santa Teresa Tram is a historic tram line in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Christ the Redeemer is located at the summit of the 2,300-foot tall Corcovado Mountain in the Tijuca Forest National Park. The statue has been a cultural icon of both Rio de Janeiro and Brazil, and is listed as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World.
This statue was created by French sculptor Paul Landowski and built by engineers from Brazil and France. It was constructed between 1922 and 1931. The statue is 98 feet high standing on a 26-foot pedestal. The arms stretch 92 feet wide. It is made of reinforced concrete and soapstone.
Maintenance work needs to be conducted periodically due to the rain, strong winds, lightning strikes, and erosion to which the statue is exposed.
When the dark clouds were in the sky, I couldn’t see anything up there, and I worried that the trip was going to be a waste of time.
However, when our yellow tram stopped at the mid-point of the mountain, I was at the place that enabled me to see the statue clearly. Although it was a bit far away, the experience was humbling indeed. Looking at the surrounding Rio area from that vantage point to the Christ the Redeemer statue really added interesting contemplative perspective for me.
The Candelaria Church is an important historical Roman Catholic Church in the city of Rio de Janeiro. It was built and decorated during a long period, from 1775 to the late 19th century.
Over the years, the statue of Christ the Redeemer has become the majestic symbol of hope for all of the people from around the world. I was grateful that I had the rare opportunity to see this glorious statue, even when it was raining.
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