Cloudy Corcovado

The highlight of any trip to Rio de Janeiro will certainly be a visit to Corcovado to see the iconic statue of Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer), which was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007. Watching over the city from atop Corcovado (2,316 ft.), the statue of Christ is the best-known symbol of Brazil. Designed by Brazilian Heitor da Silva Costa, this 98-foot statue, inaugurated in 1931, takes its inspiration from Leonardo da Vinci's famous study of the human body.

The Corcovado Station in Cosme Velho


The recommended way to get to the top of Corcovado (the mountain derives its name from the Portugese word corcova which means hunchback) is by the funicular railway that runs from the neighborhood of Cosme Velho to the summit. The railway, which opened in 1884, will transport you up to the summit within 30 minutes. Along the way, you will be rewarded with views of downtown Rio de Janeiro as well as the lush, tropical vegetation of the Parque Nacional da Tijuca.

A Breadfruit Tree Along the Corcovado Funicular


Once you get to the station at the top of the mountain, you can take the elevator up to the statue or walk the 200+ steps to see the statue. Much to our dismay, despite the pleasant weather we had at the Cosme Velho station at the base of Corcovado, by the time our train reached the summit, we found ourselves completely enshrined in clouds, fog and mist. It was so thick that you could not even see the statue of Christ! What a disappointment!

Cloudy with No Chance of Seeing Cristo Redentor


Our Version of the Cristo Redentor Statue


As we were on a group tour, we could not stick around to see if the clouds would part. We bought a few postcards of the statue we couldn't see and took the train back to the Cosme Velho station. When we got to the bottom, the clouds began to dissipate and we got our first glimpse of the Christ the Redeemer statue from the bus. Perhaps later on this trip we will make a return visit.

The Elusive Christ

Note to future visitors to Corcovado: make sure that you choose a sunny, clear day to visit Corcovado. Prior to our trip, we had arranged for a guided tour. In retrospect, I would have done this "on our own" instead of taking the group tour.