Christ the Redeemer Statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Christ the Redeemer, is a statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The statue’s features are  30 metres (98 feet tall), weight 700 tons. It is located at the peak of the 700 m (2,296 ft) Corcovado mountain in the Tijuca Forest National Park overlooking the city. The tallest of its kind in the world.

A symbol of Christianity, the statue has become an icon of Rio and Brazil. When the decision to make such a statue was made. several designs were considered like  a representation of the Christian cross, a statue of Jesus with a globe in his hands, and a pedestal symbolizing the world. But The statue of Christ the Redeemer with open arms was finally decided.

 Christ the Redeemer, Portuguese Cristo Redentor,  Christ the Redeemer colossal statue of Jesus Christ at the summit of Mount Corcovado, Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil. It was completed in 1931 and stands 98 feet (30 metres) tall, its horizontally outstretched arms spanning 92 feet (28 metres). The giant statue, made of reinforced concrete clad in a mosaic of thousands of triangular soapstone tiles, sits on a square stone pedestal base about 26 feet (8 metres) high, which itself is situated on a deck atop the mountain’s summit. The statue is the largest Art Deco-style sculpture in the world and is one of Rio de Janeiro’s most recognizable landmarks.

Christ the Redeemer In the 1850s the Vincentian priest Pedro Maria Boss suggested placing a Christian monument on Mount Corcovado to honour Isabel, princess regent of Brazil and the daughter of Emperor Pedro II, although the project was never approved. In 1921 the Roman Catholic archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro proposed that a statue of Christ be built on the 2,310-foot (704-metre) summit, which, because of its commanding height, would make it visible from anywhere in Rio. Citizens petitioned Pres. Epitácio Pessoa to allow the construction of the statue on Mount Corcovado.

Christ the Redeemer Permission was granted, and the foundation stone of the base was ceremonially laid on April 4, 1922—to commemorate the centennial on that day of Brazil’s independence from Portugal—although the monument’s final design had not yet been chosen. That same year a competition was held to find a designer, and the Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa was chosen on the basis of his sketches of a figure of Christ holding a cross in his right hand and the world in his left. In collaboration with Brazilian artist Carlos Oswald, Silva Costa later amended the plan; Oswald has been credited with the idea for the figure’s standing pose with arms spread wide. The French sculptor Paul Landowski, who collaborated with Silva Costa on the final design, has been credited as the primary designer of the figure’s head and hands. Funds were raised privately, principally by the church. Under Silva Costa’s supervision, construction began in 1926 and continued for five years. During that time materials and workers were transported to the summit via railway.

Christ the Redeemer After its completion, the gigantic statue was dedicated on October 12, 1931. Over the years it has undergone periodic repairs and renovations, including a thorough cleaning in 1980, in preparation for the visit of Pope John Paul II to Brazil that year, and a major project in 2010, when the surface was repaired and refurbished. Escalators and panoramic elevators were added beginning in 2002; previously, in order to reach the giant statue of christ itself, tourists climbed more than 200 steps as the last stage of the trip. In 2006, to mark the statue’s 75th anniversary, a chapel at its base was consecrated to Our Lady of Aparecida, the patron saint of Brazil.

crazy horse monument

Crazy Horse Monument is the world's largest statues-in-progress, and frequent drilling and mountain blasts make each visit unique. When completed, Crazy Horse Monument will stand 563 feet tall by 641 feet long.

The project was started in 1948 at the request of Chief Henry Standing Bear who invited sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski to carve a mountain to honor the heritage, tradition and culture of North American Indians. Its namesake, Crazy Horse, was a war leader of the Oglala Lakota Tribe and a prominent leader in the Sioux resistance to white encroachment on the Black Hills. His bravery and skill are greatly admired, and he is revered by the Sioux as one of their greatest leaders.

The visitors' complex surrounding the mountain carving includes the Indian Museum of North America, the Native American Cultural Center, the Sculptor's studio home and workshop, a 40,000 square foot Orientation Center and two theaters. Nightly performances of a multimedia laser-light show spotlight Native American culture using dramatic animations and a stirring musical score.

The Crazy Horse Stampede rodeo is held mid-June on the grounds, and is sanctioned by both the PRCA and Great Plains Indian Rodeo Association. At this same time, the Gift from Mother Earth Art Show highlights the artwork of Native American and Western artists. Also, on the first full weekend in June, the Crazy Horse Volksmarch opens a 10K route to hikers that winds around the base of the mountain and up onto Crazy Horse's outstretched arm.

Korczak's wife Ruth and their family have continued the project working with the Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation. An entrance fee is required to enter the memorial, which is open year-round. Proceeds fund further development of the colossal mountain carving in progress.

The Crazy Horese Memorial opens at 7 a.m. during the summer months and closes just before the nightly "Legends in Light" laser-light multimedia program, which runs Memorial Day weekend through Native American Day. The "Legends in Light" show starts at dark. Stop at the Orientation Office to receive a free pass for a return visit to see the Light show.

The Crazy Horse Monument is open from 8 a.m. until dark during the winter months.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial

Mt. Rushmore stands as a shrine of democracy, a monument and memorial to this country's birth, growth and ideals. Mount Rushmore symbolizes the greatness of this nation through the greatness of its leaders. The epic sculpture of Mount Rushmore depicts the faces of four exalted American presidents that symbolize this nation's rich history, rugged determination and lasting achievements.

Between 1927 and 1941, Gutzon Borglum and 400 workers sculpted the 60-foot busts of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln to represent the first 150 years of American history. Washington was selected for Mount Rushmore monument because he was the father of our country and represents our struggle for independence, our constitution and our liberty. Jefferson was to be honored on Mt. Rushmore as the author of the Declaration of Independence, representative government and for the expansion of our country through the Louisiana Purchase. Teddy Roosevelt, the third bust on Mt Rushmore was selected because he saw through the completion of the Panama Canal linking the oceans and opening the connecting waters of the East and the West. Lincoln was chosen for preserving the Union through one of America's darkest hours and for the ideals of freedom and equality for all.

In the words of Mount Rushmore's creator, John Gutzon Borglum, "Hence, let us place there, carved high, as close to heaven as we can, the works of our leaders, their faces, to show posterity what manner of men they were. Then breathe a prayer that these records will endure until the wind and the rain alone shall wear them away"

Mt Rushmore National Memorial is located in the Black Hills of South Dakota, 23 miles from Rapid City. The memorial serves as home to many animals and plants representative of the Black Hills of South Dakota. The geologic formations of the heart of the Black Hills region are also evident at Mount Rushmore, including large outcrops of granite and mica schist.

the Statue of Liberty, Liberty Island - New York

For the many immigrants that flocked from Europe to New York, the Statue of Liberty was the first image they saw of the USA. The giant statue was a gift from the French government for the 100th anniversary of America's Independence.

The statue was designed by a young French sculptor, Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi, who was striving to build a statue like the great Colossus that once stood at the Greek island Rhodes.

The Liberty statue's face was modeled after his mother's and the story goes that the body was modeled after a prostitute.The crown of Lady Liberty, as the statue is often affectionately called, has seven spikes, symbolizing the Seven Seas across which liberty should be spread. In her left hand she holds a tablet with the Declaration of Independence and in her right hand a torch, symbolizing Enlightenment.

Construction

The statue's steel framework was made by French engineer Gustave Eiffel, better known as the man behind the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Thanks to an ingenious construction consisting of copper plates attached to the metal framework, the statue is flexible enough to withstand heavy storms. Large iron bars attach the framework to a central pylon.

The Statue of Liberty was constructed in Paris, France. It took nine years before it was completed in 1884 after which it was sent to the USA in 214 crates. Even before the arrival of the statue, Bartholdi himself had traveled to the  Unites States to discuss the location of the statue with president Ulysses S. Grant. Eventually it was decided tot erect the statue at a small island in the harbor of New York City. Today the island is known as Liberty Island.

The biggest and most embarrassing problem was the construction of the pedestal, which had to be paid for by the Americans themselves. The statue's torch was displayed in Madison Square park for six years - from 1876 until 1882 - in an attempt to spark interest and attract funds. But it was only after publisher Joseph Pulitzer published the names of those who donated money for the project that the funds started flowing in. Eventually, the statue was erected 10 years late, in 1886, when it was officially inaugurated by president Grover Cleveland.

The Statue

The Statue of Liberty is 46,5 meter (151ft) high and together with the pedestal it reaches a height of 93 meters (305ft). You can take the staircase inside the statue and walk all the way up the 354 steps to the crown from where you have a nice view over New York City.

If you want to enter either the pedestal or the monument's crown it is best to reserve tickets well in advance. For more info on how to get tickets to enter the Statue of Liberty, take a look at this website.