Sweet Jesus!

One of Rio’s most iconic landmarks is undoubtedly Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer – that statue). Yesterday was the Cristo’s 80th Birthday and anyone who makes it to 80 deserves a party right? Well a party is what he got, complete with a massive cake:

10 metre long cake…

…gone!

Cariocas are right to celebrate the Cristo – whether you are religious or not, you can’t deny that it’s a fine piece of work. The largest Art Deco statue in the world and depending on where you get your facts, either the second or the fifth largest statue of JC. It is 38 metres high, weighs 635 tons and stands at 710 metres above sea level atop the Corcovado mountain (thank you Wikipedia).

Sometimes you visit a famous landmark and leave with a feeling of disappointment (I hate to be unpatriotic, but Stonehenge in England has been known to leave some people underwhelmed!). But if you go to the Cristo on a clear day you won’t need to worry about that. Of course, there will be a lot of tourists, but the statue is beautiful (and interesting – there is a tiny chapel underneath):

Christ the Redeemer (and a lot of tourists)

And the views are breathtaking:

From one landmark to another – Pão de Açucar (Sugarloaf Mountain) from the Cristo.

But more than anything I like the views of the Cristo from the ground. Depending on the weather, your location and the time of day, the statue can really change its appearance.

At sunset, taken in Botafogo.

At night, looking portentous.

From the other side, near the helipad in the Tijuca Forest.

As well as looking good, the Cristo is also a really useful reference point if you get lost. But more than anything, I think this statue is viewed with genuine affection by the people of Rio, regardless of religious tendencies. My wife (not religious) tells me that she genuinely felt something was missing when the Cristo was covered up for 4 months repair work in early 2010. And when the statue was vandalised with graffiti in April 2010, the mayor described it as “a crime against the nation”.

So Happy Birthday Cristo, voted in 2007 as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Spectacular from all angles.