How the Christ the Redeemer statue in Italy compares to the famous Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro
A lot of people don’t realize that there are statues of Christ the Redeemer in the two big cities, so how do the two compare?
Everyone knows the iconic Statue of Christ the Redeemer with outstretched arms overlooking the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. But this statue is not the only statue of Jesus Christ as the Redeemer (not even the largest). There are a number of massive statues of Jesus in a number of Catholic countries in Latin America and Europe.
One of the most notable of these is the little-known statue of Christ the Redeemer in Maratea in southern Italy. This is by no means a competition, but read on to see how these two giant statues of the Catholic faith stack up against each other.
Statue of Christ the Redeemer of Maratea
This awe-inspiring statue of Jesus Christ is notable for the majesty with which it is perched on Mt. St. Biagio (640 meter climb). The statue is made of reinforced concrete covered with a mixture of white cement and Carrara marble. For those wondering, Maratea is the magnificent city seen in the latest James Bond film “No time to die“with the romantic accommodation in a cave in the opening scenes of the film.
The sculpture was created by Florentine sculptor Bruno Innocenti and was built in 1965. The idea for a massive statue of Christ was inspired by the most famous statue of Christ in Rio de Janeiro.
- Built: 1965
- Height: 21 meters or 66 feet (there is no pedestal)
- Wingspan: Arms stretch 19 meters or 62 feet wide
Although he is not as tall as Christ the Redeemer in Brazil, he is still massive. Excluding the pedestal, it rises over 21 meters or 66 feet above the top of the mountain. The head alone is 3 meters high and the arm span is 19 meters at the fingertips. Today it is the third tallest statue of Jesus in Europe and the sixth in the world.
Today anyone can visit the massive statue and the good news is that it is less well known than Christ the Redeemer in Brazil, there are fewer people. But that being said in the summer, there is always a greater influx of tourists and limited access if you come by car.
Parking space is limited, so it may be best to take a shuttle bus from the Basilica of San Biagio to Christ.
- Hours of operation: Access open 24/7
- Address: Maratea, Borgo Castello – Summit of Monte San Biagio
- Parking and shuttle hours: 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (Every day)
- Season: The shuttle service ends on October 1
- Cost: 5 euros ($ 6) for parking per hour
- Shuttle bus: 1 euro ($ 1.20) round trip, departure every 5 to 8 minutes
Statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro
Known in Portuguese as Cristo Redentor, it is without a doubt the most famous statue of Jesus Christ in the world. It was created by French sculptor Paul Landowski and Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa with the collaboration of others.
The statue stands atop the 700-meter or 2,300-foot mount. Corcovado in the Tijuca Forest National Park. From there, the statue of Jesus gazes out over the sprawling city of Rio de Janeiro. He has become both a symbol of Christianity and a cultural icon of Brazil. He was named one of the The New Seven Wonders of the World. It is made of reinforced concrete and soapstone.
- Built: Between 1922 and 1931
- Height: 30 meters or 98 feet excluding the 8 meter or 26 feet pedestal
- Wingspan: Arms stretch 28 meters or 92 feet wide
Visiting Christ the Redeemer is one of the essential things to do for any weekend itinerary in Rio de Janeiro. In high season, one can expect large queues of people lining up to see this spectacular spectacle.
If you buy the ticket on the spot, take cash as entry can only be paid in cash and cards are not accepted.
- Adults: R $ 24 ($ 4.50) in high season and R $ 12 ($ 2) in low season
- Elders: Free (over 60)
- Children: Free (under 11)
The five largest statues of Jesus Christ
There are many statues of Jesus Christ in the Catholic world. Of the larger six, two are called “Christ the King” and two are called “Christ the Redeemer”. While the Cristo de la Concordia was the tallest when it was built, it was passed by Christ the King in Poland in 2010. Today the tallest is Jesus Buntu Burake in Indonesia at 40 meters or 130 feet.
Six Largest Statues of Jesus Christ by Size:
- Jesus Buntu Burake: In Sulawesi, Indonesia – 40 meters or 130 feet (without pedestal)
- Christ the Redeemer: In Rio De Janeiro – 30 meters or 98 feet without the pedestal
- Christ of Concord: In Bolivia – 34.20 meters or 112.2 feet without the pedestal
- Christ the King: In Swiebodzin, Poland – 36 meters or 118 feet (including crown, excluding mound)
- Cristo-Rei: In Lisbon Portugal – 28 meters or 92 feet (excluding the massive 82 meter or 269 feet pedestal)
- Christ the Redeemer: Maratea, Italy – 21.20 meters or 66 feet (without pedestal)
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