Preceden

Christ the Redeemer Timeline

(1922 - Present)

Christ the Redeemer is a 30-meter Art Deco statue of Jesus Christ located atop Corcovado Mountain in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Designed by French sculptor Paul Landowski and built by Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa, it was completed in 1931 and has become one of the world's most iconic monuments and a symbol of Brazilian Christianity. Less

Go to: Timeline | Event List | Key Facts | Directory

Origins and Proposals

Proposed statue dismissed after church-state separation

1889

Owing to the separation of church and state that followed Brazil's transition to a republic in 1889, the proposed statue for the mountain above Rio de Janeiro was dismissed, delaying the project for decades.

Brazil becomes a republic

Nov 15, 1889

In 1889, Brazil became a republic, and owing to the newly established separation of church and state, the proposed statue of Christ on Corcovado was dismissed, halting early plans for a religious monument on the mountain.

Catholic Circle of Rio makes second proposal

1920

In 1920, the Catholic Circle of Rio made a second proposal for a landmark statue on the mountain, reviving the idea of a monumental religious statue overlooking the city of Rio de Janeiro.

Image source: Christ the Redeemer (statue)

Catholic Circle of Rio makes second proposal

Design and Sculptors

Leonida's training in Bucharest and Italy

1922

Sculptor Gheorghe Leonida, recruited in 1922, had studied sculpture at the Fine Arts Conservatory in Bucharest and in Italy, credentials that made him a key contributor to the statue's facial features.

Landowski commissioned for the statue's design

1922

French sculptor Paul Landowski was engaged to design Christ the Redeemer, beginning the artistic work that would shape one of the world's most famous Art Deco monuments.

Gheorghe Leonida joins the project

1922

In 1922, Landowski commissioned fellow Parisian Romanian sculptor Gheorghe Leonida, who studied sculpture at the Fine Arts Conservatory in Bucharest and in Italy, to assist in creating the statue's face.

Construction and Opening

Construction of Christ the Redeemer begins

1922

Construction of Christ the Redeemaker atop Corcovado mountain began in 1922, launching a nine-year effort to build the iconic Art Deco statue overlooking Rio de Janeiro.

Construction cost equivalent to US$250,000

1922 - Oct 12, 1931

The nine-year construction project cost the equivalent of US$250,000 at the time—approximately US$4,500,000 in 2025 dollars—funded largely through donations from Brazilian Catholics.

Nine years of construction

Jan 1, 1922 - Dec 31, 1931

Construction took nine years, from 1922 to 1931, transforming reinforced concrete and soapstone into the towering figure of Christ with outstretched arms above Rio de Janeiro.

Statue oriented facing east

1931

Christ the Redeemer was built to face east, overlooking the city of Rio de Janeiro and greeting the rising sun over Guanabara Bay.

Statue reaches 30 metres in height

1931

The completed statue stands 30 metres (98 ft) high, excluding its pedestal, making it an imposing landmark visible across Rio de Janeiro.

An 8-metre pedestal supports the statue

1931

The statue rests upon an 8-metre (26 ft) pedestal, which raises the monument further above the summit of Corcovado mountain.

Monument opens on October 12, 1931

Oct 12, 1931

On October 12, 1931, Christ the Redeemer was officially opened and dedicated, marking the completion of nearly a decade of construction on Corcovado mountain.

Restorations

Agreement signed to conduct restoration work

1990

In 1990, several organizations entered into an agreement to conduct restoration work on the statue, launching coordinated efforts to preserve and repair the aging monument.

Broad coalition backs the 1990 restoration

1990

The 1990 restoration agreement brought together the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro, media company Grupo Globo, oil company Shell do Brasil, environmental regulator IBAMA, the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage, and the city government of Rio de Janeiro.

Additional work on the statue and environs

2003 - Mar 31, 2010

More work on the statue and its environs was conducted in 2003 and early 2010, maintaining the site ahead of the major restoration that would follow.

Massive restoration of the statue begins

2010

In 2010, a massive restoration of the statue began, addressing deterioration of the soapstone exterior and other structural concerns.

Four-month restoration focuses on the statue itself

2010

The four-month restoration in 2010 focused on the statue itself, repairing and cleaning its surface rather than the surrounding environment.

Cultural Moments

Pirelli commercial features Ronaldo replacing the statue

1998

In reference to Brazilian striker Ronaldo's usual goal celebration of both arms outstretched, the Pirelli tyre company ran a 1998 commercial in which he replaced the statue while wearing an Inter Milan strip.

Chapel named after Our Lady of the Apparition

Oct 2006

The chapel consecrated in October 2006 was named after Brazil's patron saint—Our Lady of the Apparition—allowing Catholics to hold baptisms and weddings beneath the statue.

Chapel consecrated under the statue

Oct 2006

In October 2006, on the 75th anniversary of the statue's completion, Cardinal Eusebio Oscar Scheid, Archbishop of Rio, consecrated a chapel under the statue.

Restored statue lit green-and-yellow for the World Cup

2010

During the unveiling of the restored statue, it was illuminated with green-and-yellow lighting in support of the Brazil national football team playing in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Replica built from public donations

2011

Built in 2011, a replica of the statue stands 22 metres high and cost 200,000 euros, raised entirely from donations.

Access and Features

Escalators, walkways, and elevators installed

2003

In 2003, a set of escalators, walkways, and elevators were installed to facilitate access to the platform surrounding the statue, making the monument far more accessible to visitors.

Damage and Weather

Lightning strike damages fingers, head and eyebrows

Feb 10, 2008

Lightning struck the statue during a violent thunderstorm on February 10, 2008, causing some damage to the fingers, head and eyebrows of the monument.

Lightning dislodges a finger on the right hand

Jan 17, 2014

Lightning damaged the statue again on January 17, 2014, dislodging a finger on its right hand during a storm over Rio de Janeiro.

Key Facts

  1. The idea for Christ the Redeemer was first proposed in the 1850s by Vincentian priest Pedro Maria Boss, but the project was only revived for Brazil's centennial of independence in 1922.
  2. The statue was designed by French sculptor Paul Landowski, with engineering by Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa, and was constructed from reinforced concrete and soapstone.
  3. It stands about 30 meters (98 feet) tall atop Mount Corcovado at an elevation of roughly 700 meters, overlooking Rio de Janeiro and Guanabara Bay.
  4. The monument was officially inaugurated on October 12, 1931, and has become a cultural symbol of both Rio de Janeiro and Brazil.
  5. In 2007, Christ the Redeemer was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World through a global poll.

Source

This Christ the Redeemer timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

We work hard to keep these timelines accurate, but mistakes do get through. If you spot one, email us at [email protected] and we'll fix it for future visitors.

Want a timeline like this one?

Generate yours with AI or build it from scratch, for free.

Try It for Free