The summit view
The whole city to Sugarloaf.
CC BY-SA 3.0 · Matthias Bethke — CC BY-SA 4.0 · beckstei — CC BY 3.0 · Alan Betensley aka Abetens at en.wikipedia — Public domain
Corcovado, the Hunchback, is a granite peak of about 710 metres in the middle of the Tijuca Forest, visible from all over Rio. On its summit stands the statue of Christ the Redeemer, built between 1922 and 1931 of reinforced concrete and soapstone in the Art Deco style, 30 metres tall on an eight-metre pedestal; it became the emblem of the city and was voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007. What most visitors come for is the view: from the platform on the summit the whole city opens up, from downtown to Sugarloaf, the Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon, Copacabana and Ipanema beaches and the Maracanã stadium. The Corcovado rack railway, opened in 1884, climbs through the forest in about twenty minutes, followed by 223 steps or lifts and escalators to the platform. Cloud often covers the summit, so pick a clear day, check the forecast before you book, and take the first train of the morning to beat the crowds. Minibuses also run up from Copacabana and from the Paineiras station.
The whole city to Sugarloaf.
Through the forest since 1884.
All around the mountain.
Corcovado summit, Tijuca National Park
The first morning train on a clear day: cloud often covers the summit and crowds build in the afternoon. Check the forecast before booking.