Today is Ash Wednesday, a religious event Roman Catholics celebrate. It is the first day of the 40 day season of lent, which celebrates the life and passion of Christ.
One of the biggest icons of Catholicism in our generation perhaps is the “Christ the Redeemer” statue, which has been built on the peak of the Corcovado Mountain in the Tijuca Forest national park in Brazil. It is considered as the second largest Art Deco structure in the world. In 2007, it has been named as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
A Brazilian Catholic priest, Pedro Maria Boss introduced the concept of building a statue on top of the Corcovado Mountain to Brazil’s Imperial Princess Isabel in the 1850’s but she did not give much attention to it until the imperial monarchy lost its governmental authority when Brazil became a Republic in 1889. Then in 1921, the Catholic Circle of Rio proposed again the construction of a structure on top of Corcovado Mountain and they initiated a fund-raising activity for the construction. In 1922, the construction of the statue began until 1931. The cost was estimated at US$250,000 at that time.
The statue stands at 130 feet tall, 98 feet wide, with a 31 feet pedestal. From there, you can have a picturesque view of the city of Rio de Janeiro below the mountain. They say that the statue of Christ with outstretched hands symbolize Christianity and peace.
It is a perfect place for Catholics who want to visit places where they can have both an ambiance of spirituality and majestic scenery.
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