After getting off the train down at Corcovado Train Station in Cosme Velho neighborhood you can visit the International Museum of Naïve Art, one of the most authentic museums in Rio de Janeiro, just a few steps away up Rua Cosme Velho at # 561. Open Tues – Fri, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. (Open some Saturdays – call 2205-8612 a day before to confirm). Closed Holidays. Admission fee: R$16; US$8; €7. Allow a 30-minute plus visit. For information on…read more
There are many places of interest to compose your own cultural tour of Rio de Janeiro. Below are some of the top 10 cultural sites you must visit when travelling to Rio. Some of these cultural attractions require just a brief stop in front of it, while others invite you to explore inside and in more details to get an in-depth cultural experience. • Lapa Arches An aqueduct constructed more than 250 years ago, over which the venerable Santa Teresa…read more
Rio de Janeiro’s high tourist season is in December, January, February, and March, but mainly December and January, which are the summer vacation months in Brazil. Busy tourist times also include the month of July (Brazil’s winter vacation). It is important to be aware of the “peak” days and “extreme peak” days of any week, which are the busiest days of the year (no matters if it is high or low season) to visit Rio’s landmarks such as Christ the Redeemer statue…read more
You can definitely visit Rio de Janeiro main attractions with your own taxi driver. All you need is a tour itinerary, carefully calculated to save you time and money. What is the best way to get to Corcovado, or to avoid long lines at Sugar Loaf? What are the must-see cultural and historical sites? What are the off the beaten-path Rio de Janeiro sites that a smart traveler should and can visit by taxi? Chapter 3 of “My Rio Travel Guide”…read more
The greatest monument in Rio de Janeiro — Christ the Redeemer statue — is no longer the tallest Jesus statue in the world (but it was the tallest when it was built). Today, the tallest statues of Jesus are: • Christ the King: Swiebodzin, Poland (2010), 51-metres (167-feet) high • Cristo de la Corcórdia: Cocohabamba, Bolívia (1994), 40-metres (132-feet) high • Christ the Redeemer: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (1931), 38-metres (125-feet) high Measurements take into account the mound and crown…read more
Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) has been named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World! Since the Seven Wonders of the World no longer exist in any recognizable form, (except the Pyramids of Egypt), the Swiss-Canadian millionaire pilot Bernard Weber founded the NGO New Seven Wonders Foundation in order to elect in 2007 the New Seven Wonders of the World. The initial list included 77 monuments, art constructions, and tourist attractions built by humans…read more
Austrian parachutist Felix Baumgartner was the first man who practised BASE-jumping from the Christ statue in Rio de Janeiro. BASE-jumpers leap from a famous building and open their parachute only a few seconds before hitting the ground. The goal is to freefall as long as possible. BASE-jumping is considered an extremely risky and radical sport, which is also why it is illegal in many countries. Baumgartner planned his jump from the Christ the Redeemer statue five months in advance. He…read more
In April 2010, vandals covered the arms, the head, and the chest of the Christ statue with spray-painted graffiti. Cariocas (Rio de Janeiro natives) couldn’t believe the news, and the mayor was inflamed. The vandals arrived on Corcovado summit around 2:00 a.m. and took advantage of the time gap between the guard’s shifts. The surveillance system was also off due to the heavy rains that had hit Rio de Janeiro the previous week. Scaffolding that surrounded the statue for restoration…read more
From March to June 2010, the largest and the most judicious restoration work in the history of Christ the Redeemer statue took place. As happened during the renovations of 1980 and 1990, visitors were slightly disappointed to see the famous Rio de Janeiro icon surrounded by scaffolding. The greatest concern, however, was bringing the 70 tons of equipment to the top of Corcovado, with the heaviest pieces of equipment being the tube scaffoldings themselves. The scaffolding was passed from worker…read more
How did Brazilians and the archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro view the collapsing of Christ statue in the Movie 2012? In the movie 2012, the Christ the Redeemer statue is destroyed by a giant wave. In turn, the Rio de Janeiro archdiocese is suing Columbia pictures for the unauthorized use of an image of the Christ statue. The archdiocese says it refused to allow Columbia to use the image of the statue during preproduction of the movie, but it claims…read more
