Christ the Redeemer statue is one of Brazil’s top landmarks, and it made it to the list of the new wonders of the world. There’s still a lot you probably don’t know about Rio’s no. 1 tourist attraction, and these five incredible facts will blow your mind.
Lightning Strikes
The iconic statue is hit by lightning several times a year due its mountaintop position. One of its thumbs was even broken this way in 2014.
Hidden Messages
Christ the Redeemer is covered with six million stone tiles, and workers in charge of its construction reportedly wrote hidden messages on their back.
Original Design
The statue of Christ with open arms has been accepted as universal symbol of peace, but he was supposed to be holding a globe in one hand and a cross in the other according to the original design.
Not the Tallest
This structure is 30 meters high, but that still doesn’t make it the tallest statue of Jesus in the world. Poland’s Christ the King and Bolivia’s Cristo de la Concordia are even higher.
Darker Shade
Christ the Redeemer is recognizable for its unique light-colored stone, but this material is hard to find these days and the statue will probably get darker during its future reconstructions.