GeoOracle #10: Christ the Redeemer

23 June 2026 · Landmark · Difficulty 2 of 5

How it opened

I stand with arms stretched wide, overlooking a vibrant coastal city from my mountain perch, welcoming all who gaze upon me.

The five clues

  1. 01Two open palms gesture toward infinite horizons, a silent benediction cast in concrete and stone.
  2. 02I crown a peak in South America's largest country, my face sculpted by Romanian hands, my frame engineered by French and Brazilian minds.
  3. 03Built across nine years in the 1920s, I replaced an original vision of crossed arms and a globe, chosen instead to embrace the world below.
  4. 04My 30-meter height (plus 8 meters of pedestal) and 28-meter armspan make me a colossal Art Deco landmark facing eastward over Rio de Janeiro.
  5. 05French-Polish sculptor Paul Landowski designed me; Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa brought me to life between 1922 and 1931 in reinforced concrete and soapstone.

The answer

Christ the Redeemer

Brazil · South America

About this place

Rising majestically above Rio de Janeiro, this iconic Art Deco statue was born from an ambitious international collaboration, combining French artistic vision with Brazilian engineering prowess. The original design called for a Christ figure holding a globe and cross, but visionary organizers reimagined it as the iconic open-armed figure we know today—a gesture of embrace rather than judgment. Constructed over nearly a decade from 1922 to 1931, this monument has become one of the world's most recognizable symbols of faith and welcome, drawing millions of pilgrims and visitors each year.

Geography

Christ the Redeemer stands above Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, gazing eastward across the city below. Positioned high over the urban landscape, the statue dominates the skyline, becoming a visible reference point throughout the surrounding area. Its lofty setting allows it to overlook much of Rio de Janeiro, linking the monument closely to the geography of the city it watches over from its elevated post.

History

The project behind Christ the Redeemer took shape in 1920, leading to construction that lasted from 1922 to 1931. French-Polish sculptor Paul Landowski conceived the design, while Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa carried out the construction together with French engineer Albert Caquot. The plan evolved from an early concept showing Christ holding a globe and a cross to the now familiar figure with arms spread wide, a change accepted by the organisers before work proceeded.

Notable features

Rendered in the Art Deco style, the statue rises thirty metres tall, not counting its eight-metre pedestal, with arms extending twenty-eight metres from tip to tip. Reinforced concrete and soapstone give it durability and a smooth outer finish. Its face was sculpted separately by Romanian artist Gheorghe Leonida, adding a distinct human likeness to the otherwise monumental form, making the statue an instantly recognisable icon of religious and artistic achievement.

Fact sheet

Country
Brazil
Continent
South America
Coordinates
-22.952, -43.211
Founded
1920

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