View source for Corcovado

{{short description|Mountain in Rio de Janeiro, home to Christ the Redeemer}}
{{About|the mountain in Rio De Janeiro|volcano in Chile|Corcovado Volcano|song of the same name|Corcovado (song)|text=For the statue at its summit see [[Christ the Redeemer (statue)]]}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name              = Corcovado
| other_name        =
| photo             = PanoramaRio (cropped).jpg
| photo_caption     = View of Corcovado with [[Christ the Redeemer (statue)|Christ the Redeemer]]
| map               = Brazil
| map_caption       = Brazil
| location          = [[Rio de Janeiro]], [[Brazil]]
| label_position    = left
| coordinates       = {{coord|22|57|8.7|S|43|12|42|W|type:mountain_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_ref     =
| prominence_m      =
| prominence_ref    =
| parent_peak       =
| listing           =
| translation       = Hunchback
| language          = [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]
| range             =
| topo              =
| coordinates_ref   =
| type              = [[Granite]]
| age               =
| easiest_route     =
| map_size          = 250
}}
'''Corcovado''' ({{IPA|pt|koʁkoˈvadu}}) which means "[[hunchback]]" in [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Corcovado {{!}} Dicionário Português - Inglês {{!}} Michealis - UOL |url=https://michaelis.uol.com.br/moderno/ingles/index.php?lingua=portugues-ingles&palavra=corcovado |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706155435/https://michaelis.uol.com.br/moderno/ingles/index.php?lingua=portugues-ingles&palavra=corcovado |archive-date=6 July 2011 |access-date=2022-09-02 |website=michaelis.uol.com.br}}</ref> is a mountain in central [[Rio de Janeiro]], [[Brazil]]. It is a {{convert|710|m|ft|abbr=off|adj=on}} [[granite]] peak located in the [[Tijuca Forest]], a national park.
Corcovado hill lies just west of the city center but is wholly within the city limits and visible from great distances. It is known worldwide for the statue of [[Jesus]] atop its peak, entitled [[Christ the Redeemer (statue)|''Christ the Redeemer'']].
==Access==
The peak and statue can be reached via a narrow road, by the {{convert|3.8|km|abbr=on}} [[Corcovado Rack Railway]], which was opened in 1884 and refurbished in 1980, or by the walking trail on the south side of the mountain that starts from [[Parque Lage]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Parque Lage to Christ the Redeemer |url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Parque+Lage+-+R.+Jardim+Bot%C3%A2nico,+414+-+Jardim+Bot%C3%A2nico,+Rio+de+Janeiro+-+RJ,+22461-000,+Brazil/Cristo+Redentor+-+Alto+da+Boa+Vista,+Rio+de+Janeiro+-+State+of+Rio+de+Janeiro,+Brazil/@-22.9546839,-43.2175744,1274m/?hl=en |website=[[Google Maps]] |access-date=2 September 2020 |language=en}}</ref> The railway uses three electrically powered trains, with a capacity of 540 passengers per hour. The rail trip takes approximately 20 minutes and departs every 20 minutes. Due to its limited passenger capacity, the wait to board at the entry station can take several hours. The year-round schedule is 8:30 to 18:30.
From the train terminus and road, the observation deck at the foot of the statue is reached by 223 steps, or by [[elevator]]s and [[escalator]]s. Among the most popular year-round tourist attractions in Rio de Janeiro, the Corcovado railway, access roads, and statue platform are commonly crowded.
==Attractions==
Corcovado's most popular attraction is the {{convert|38|m|adj=on}} statue depicting Jesus at its peak, entitled ''Christ the Redeemer'' ({{Langx|pt|Cristo Redentor}}''),'' and the viewing platform at its peak, drawing over 300,000 visitors per year. The statue was constructed from 1922 to 1931. From the peak's platform the panoramic view includes downtown Rio de Janeiro, [[Sugarloaf Mountain]], the [[Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon|Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon]], [[Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro|Copacabana]] and [[Ipanema]] beaches, [[Maracanã Stadium]], and several of Rio de Janeiro's [[favela]]s. Cloud cover is common in Rio and the view from the platform is often obscured. Sunny days are recommended for optimal viewing.
Notable past visitors to the mountain peak include [[Charles Darwin]], [[Pope Pius XII]], [[Pope John Paul II]], [[Alberto Santos-Dumont]], [[Albert Einstein]], [[Diana, Princess of Wales]], and [[General Sherman]], among others. An additional attraction of the mountain is [[rock climbing]]. The south face had 54 climbing routes in 1992. The easiest way starts from Parque Lage.
==Geology==
The peak of Corcovado is a big [[granite dome]], which describes a generally vertical rocky formation. It is claimed to be the highest such formation in Brazil, the second highest being Pedra Agulha, situated near the town of [[Pancas]] in [[Espírito Santo]].
== References in Brazilian culture ==
Corcovado is considered an icon of Brazilian culture. ''[[Corcovado (song)|Corcovado]]'' is a 1960 [[bossa nova]] song and [[jazz standard]] by [[Antônio Carlos Jobim]] whose lyrics draw on images of the hill. Corcovado has also been referenced in other artistic works (e.g. the lyrics of [[Ben Harper]],<ref>{{Cite web|date=2000-07-16|title=Blessed To Be A Witness|url=https://www.benharper.com/songs-lyrics/originals/blessed-to-be-a-witness|access-date=2021-06-08|website=Ben Harper|language=en}}</ref> literary works, films, etc.).
==Gallery==
<gallery widths="144px" heights="145px">
Image:Marc Ferrez - IMS 007A6P4FP15-015.jpg|Corcovado before the construction of ''Christ the Redeemer'', 19th century
File:Corcovado_visto_pela_Urca_-_panoramio.jpg|Corcovado seen from [[Urca]]
Image:A_lua_e_o_Cristo.jpg|The statue of ''[[Christ the Redeemer (statue)|Christ the Redeemer]]'' atop Corcovado
File:Corcovado_sunset_silhouette.jpg|Corcovado seen from [[Sugarloaf Mountain]] during sunset
File:Rio_de_Janeiro,_Pão_de_Açúcar_from_Cristo_Redentor_(15744316848).jpg|[[Botafogo]] bay seen from Corcovado
Image:Trem do Corcovado na Estação Paineiras 01.jpg|[[Corcovado Rack Railway]]
</gallery>
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* {{commons category-inline}}
*[https://rgssa.blogspot.com/2014/07/back-to-rio.html 'back to Rio'. RGSSA blog post contains image of Corcovada taken in 1914]
*[http://www.wikirio.com.br/Morro_do_Corcovado Practical information about Corcovado mountain] on WikiRio
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070928074054/http://www.riodejaneirophotoguide.com/html/corcovado_main.html Virtual Pictour up the Corcovado Mountain]
[[Category:Mountains of Brazil]]
[[Category:Granite domes]]
[[Category:Christ the Redeemer (statue)]]
[[Category:Geography of Rio de Janeiro (city)]]
[[Category:Landforms of Rio de Janeiro (state)]]
[[Category:National heritage sites of Rio de Janeiro (state)]]