Rio’s Christ the Redeemer Statue Is Getting a Makeover
Photos: alobos Life CC BY NC ND and Rob CC BY NC Travel News
Looks like after 86 years of battling the elements, Rio de Janerio’s famous Christ the Redeemer statue is finally due for some TLC.
The 98-foot-tall monument, an iconic landmark for Brazil and the world, is visited by more than 3 million people a year. Unfortunately, the statue is rusting due to moisture that builds inside the cracks and is struck by lightning, on average, six times a year (ouch).
Preserving the attraction is no light expense—maintenance costs are about $1.5 million per year. Orani João Tempesta, the archbishop of Rio, launched an international campaign, “Friends of Christ the Redeemer,” to raise money for the renovation and to pay for the 30 park employees.
“For the past 85 years the monument has been maintained with the help of private donations and the Catholic Church’s own resources,” said Reverend Omar Raposo, who’s in charge of the statue’s upkeep, to the Religion News Service. “But unfortunately, with the economic crisis in Brazil, we need to appeal for more contributions to make ends meet.”
McGee Nall is a freelance writer based out of Athens, Georgia. She was probably eating Nilla wafers and Nutella while writing this.
Photos by alobos Life CC BY NC ND and Rob CC BY NC