The Christ Redeemer

The Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is unquestionably an attractive monument. Its iconic status and religious significance helped to secure its place amongst the New Seven Wonders of the World. The statue is 39.6 metres tall, including its 9.5 meter (31 feet) pedestal, and 30 metres (98 ft) wide. It weighs 635 tons (700 short tons). It is one of the tallest statue in the atlas. The statue of Cristo de la Concordia in Cochabamba, Bolivia, is slightly taller, standing at 40.44 metres (132.7 ft) tall with its 6.24 metres (20.5 ft) pedestal and 34.20 metres (112.2 ft) wide. A symbol of Christianity, the statue has become an icon of Rio and Brazil. It was constructed between 1922 and 1931.
The plan for erecting a large statue atop Corcovado was first suggested in the mid-1850s, when Catholic priest Pedro Maria Boss requested financing from Princess Isabel to build a large religious monument.
In 1990, further restoration work was conducted through an agreement between the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro, media company Rede Globo, oil company Shell do Brasil, environment regulator IBAMA, National Heritage Secretariat SPHAN and the city government of Rio de Janeiro.
More work on the statue and its environs was conducted in 2003 and early 2010. In 2003, a set of escalators, walkways and elevators was installed to facilitate access to the platform surrounding the statue.
The four-month restoration in 2010, carried out by mining company Vale in partnership with the Archdiocese, focused on the statue itself. The statue's internal structure was renovated and its soapstone mosaic covering was restored by removing a crust of fungi and other microorganisms. The lightning rods located in the statue’s head and arms were also repaired.
The restoration involved one hundred people and used in excess of 60,000 pieces of stone, taken from the same place that gave birth to the original statue. During the unveiling of the restored statue, it was illuminated with green and yellow colour in support of the Brazil football team playing in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.