Christ the Redeemer

Christ the Redeemer stands on top of Corcovado mountain, about 709 meters above sea level, inside Tijuca National Park. The statue is 30 meters tall, not counting its 8-meter pedestal, and its open arms span 28 meters, according to Wikipedia. The foundation stone was laid in 1922 and the statue was inaugurated on 12 October 1931, according to the official Corcovado Train website.

From the top you see almost the whole city: Sugarloaf Mountain, Guanabara Bay, the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, Copacabana, Ipanema and the Maracanã stadium.

How to get up

Tijuca National Park lists four ways to reach the monument: the train, the official vans, authorized local guides and on foot. Step-by-step details, departure points and prices are in our guide on how to visit Christ the Redeemer.

• Corcovado Train: departs from Cosme Velho station and climbs through the park’s rainforest. The railway was opened in 1884 by Emperor Pedro II, decades before the statue.
• Official Paineiras-Corcovado vans: the only vans allowed on the park road, leaving from Copacabana, Largo do Machado and the Paineiras Visitor Center.
• On foot: along the trail that starts at Parque Lage. Hikers pay only for access to the monument, at the ticket office at the top.

What changed in August 2026

On 3 August 2026, work began to replace the four escalators that lead to the statue’s platform, according to Tijuca National Park. Visits were not suspended, but there are important changes:

• the number of visitors allowed at the top at the same time was cut by half, for train, van and trail visitors alike;
• from the second floor to the platform, everyone climbs an 80-step stone staircase;
• for visitors with reduced mobility, ICMBio provides stair-climbing devices operated by staff, which do not run in the rain or on wet floors.

In practice: buy your ticket in advance and check the park’s rules before you go.

Tips for your visit

• Arrive early: the Corcovado Train asks you to check in at the ticket office at least 40 minutes before your booked time.
• Buy only from official channels: the train’s own website warns you to check the address before paying.
• Bring a light jacket: it is windier at the top than at the beach.
• Photos: the platform gets crowded, and with the works and reduced capacity, waits may be longer.

Combine it with

Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf are Rio’s two great landmarks and fit into the same day: one in the morning, the other in the late afternoon. See how in the 3-day itinerary.