The Redeemer of Rio
1560 AD
1560 1560
43.11W23.00S
MISC

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL
	He fades in and out of the mists, welcoming arms outstretched, with a halo of birds circling overhead. Standing 120 feet tall, the famous statute of Christ the Redeemer serenely presides over the sun worshippers of Copacabana, the din of traffic and the eternal beat of samba music that is the city of Rio de Janeiro.
	The statue, perched 2,400 feet above sea level on the summit of Corcovado Peak (also known as Hunchback Mountain) has dominated Rio's skyline since it was completed in 1931.
	Constructed of reinforced concrete covered with soapstone, "Cristo Redentor" weighs more than 1,000 tons. It was commissioned in 1921 to mark the centennial of Brazilian independence and was paid for by donations from Brazilian churches.
	From the observation deck on which the statue stands, visitors can take in a spectacular view of Rio -- from Ipanema Beach and Sugarloaf Mountain on the edge of the Atlantic to the dense tropical rain forest that creeps to the edge of the city on the west.
	About 10 million Brazilians call Rio home. They describe their city, which is sunny year-round and boasts 75 miles of coastline, as "Cidade Maravilhosa," the Marvelous City.
	Rio de Janeiro was established on the Bay of Guanabara in 1560 by the Portuguese, but was a backwater town until the early 1800s when the Portuguese royal family set up court in Rio after being driven from Europe by Napoleon.
	Since then Rio has been known for its cafe society and subtropical climate. Though the country's most powerful and largest city is Sao Paolo, Brazilians often boast that God made the world in six days and spent the seventh creating Rio.
	Every year, tourists from around the world flock to the city for Carnaval, the pre-Lenten ritual of parades and partying that goes on around the clock for a week.