This famous statue of Rio was the brainchild of a carioca engineer, Heitor da Silva Costa (1873-1947), who proposed it in 1921 and received help with its construction from French-Polish sculptor Paul Landowski (1875-1961). The 40-metre-high monument stands on top of Corcovado Mountain and depicts Jesus Christ with open arms. It was unveiled in October 1931, and at the time the project caused quite a dispute over the religious image of Christ. But today Christ the Redeemer transcends any religious representation - it is viewed as a work of art, as an engineering victory and a tourist- landmark. More than a symbol of faith, Christ the Redeemer is a symbol of Rio and of Brazil, and he can be seen hugging and blessing the city from almost any corner of Rio. It is a geographic point of reference, but to me just as importantly, when I look up at him I always think he is casting a mysterious spell over me composed of equal parts adrenalin and peace, making me feel very lucky to be a carioca.
