Christo Redentor

Rio de Janeiro's most famous monument is a statue of Jesus Cristo overlooking the Brazilian city. The 98-foot statue stands on a 28-foot pedestal, atop Corcovado Mountain, striking a truly imposing figure that visible throughout the city. Cristo Redentor is Portuguese for ‘Christ the Redeemer’.

Undeniably a religious symbol, the statue is also an enduring symbol for Rio and the nation. Completed in 1931, the reinforced concrete statue is covered with a mosaic of six million soapstone tiles. One of those responsible for the statue's creation, Count Celso, aptly described it on its completion as a combination monument "to science, art, and religion”. The last major renovation was completed in 2010, as age and lightning strikes, which hit the monument a few times every year, had taken their toll.

At least two million people visit the monument annually, and tourists can ascend to the foot of the pedestal for an up close and personal view of the redeemer. But some of the most endearing views are from a distance, especially at night when the statue is lighted for the entire city to see. With its head bowed slightly overlooking the city and its arms spread wide, the statue welcomes all with a gesture of love and acceptance. A truly spectacular site, this monumental symbol of Brazilian Christianity, and indeed of Brazil itself, is a tourism must-see. But if you are in Rio, there is not much chance you will miss it.