Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro

This iconic statue of Christ stands atop Mount Corcovado, gazing out over the city of Rio de Janeiro and the blue waters of Guanabara Bay. Nearly 800,000 people a year make the trek up the mountain for a closer look.

To reach the monument, visitors once had to climb a series of steep stairs after taking a train up the mountainside. Today they can simply ride Otis® lifts from the train depot up to the visitors’ area, then take Otis escalators the rest of the way.

As part of a major preservation project in the early 2000s, the Roberto Marinho Foundation sought ways to improve access to the summit while meeting strict environmental objectives.

The foundation, a member of the U.N. Sustainable Development Solutions Network, studied nearly two dozen proposals before selecting Otis. We installed three energy-efficient Gen2® lifts and four advanced outdoor escalators.

With its coated flat-steel belts and ReGen® drive, the Gen2 lift uses 75 percent less energy than a conventional geared lift without regen technology. And the Gen2 system’s quiet operation doesn’t disturb the tranquility of the mountaintop.

Our outdoor escalators are designed to withstand severe weather conditions. And to save electricity and reduce wear and tear, sensors suspend operation when the escalators aren’t in use.

The lift hoistways are concealed among the park’s trees, and the escalators follow the contours of the mountain.

Creating the monument

The statue was designed by French sculptor Paul Landowski and built by the Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa, in collaboration with the French engineer Albert Caquot. The Romanian sculptor Gheorghe Leonida gained worldwide fame for sculpting the face of Christ.

Preserving the monument

Over the decades, the monument has suffered damage from the elements, including a lighting strike in 2008 that caused some damage to the fingers, head and eyebrows. Lightning struck again in 2010, dislodging a finger on the right hand.

In 2010, massive restoration began. Work included cleaning, replacing the mortar and soapstone on the exterior, restoring iron in the internal structure and waterproofing the monument.

Quick facts about Christ the Redeemer

Dedicated in 1931, Christ the Redeemer is described as the largest art deco statue in the world, standing 38 metres tall, including its 8-metre pedestal. It is made of reinforced concrete covered by soapstone, chosen for its enduring qualities and ease of use. Its name in Portuguese, the national language of Brazil, is Cristo Redentor.