The Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro is lit up every single night — the sculpture can then be seen from far way. In fact, 300 brand new energy-effecient LED projectors (bulbs with no filament) designed by the Plastic Artist Peter Gasper were inaugurated in 2011. It allows for changing colors, intensity, and speed.
Was Christ statue lit up at the inauguration?
Yes. The Christ statue was illuminated thanks to Guglielmo Marconi, world-renowned Italian scientist and inventor of the wireless telegraph. He inaugurated the illumination from his home in Rome, Italy, by pressing a button that sent an electric signal using Hertzian waves of the Brazilian Radio Company.
The signal traveled all the away to Rio de Janeiro, but its strength was insufficient. The signal was then amplified by a local company in Rio, which in turn sent it to turn on a battery of floodlights next to the statue!
Although this was state-of-the-art technology at the time, many locals strongly believed that it was a farce. They were skeptical that a person in Italy could send a radio signal that would light the Christ statue in Rio. It was, indeed, quite an incredible feat.
Details to look for when looking at Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio
The sores in the hands, which represents the wounds Christ sustained by being nailed to the cross. It is also possible to see a high relief heart sculpture at chest level, which represents Jesus’ Sacred Heart. A replica of this can also be seen from inside the statue. It is the only part of the statue that was sculptured internally and externally.
Another hard-to-notice detail on the Christ statue is that the right arm (which points to the south), leans down slightly more than the left arm.
Read all the other interesting historic facts and curiosities in the travel guide PDF e-book Christ the Redeemer Statue – A Comprehensive Guidebook to Visiting the Rio de Janeiro Landmark atop Corcovado Mountain.
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