Christ the Redeemer

Rio de Janeiro

This iconic statue of Christ stands atop Mount Corcovado, gazing out over the city of Rio de Janeiro and the blue waters of Guanabara Bay. Nearly 800,000 people a year make the trek up the mountain for a closer look.

To reach the monument, visitors once had to climb a series of steep stairs after taking a train up the mountainside. Today they can simply ride Otis^® elevators from the train depot up to the visitors’ area, then take Otis escalators the rest of the way.

As part of a major preservation project in the early 2000s, the Roberto Marinho Foundation sought ways to improve access to the summit while meeting strict environmental objectives.

The foundation, a member of the U.N. Sustainable Development Solutions Network, studied nearly two dozen proposals before selecting Otis. We installed three energy-efficient Gen2^® elevators and four advanced outdoor escalators.

With its coated flat-steel belts and ReGen^® drive, the Gen2 elevator uses 75 percent less energy than a conventional geared elevator without regen technology. And the Gen2 system’s quiet operation doesn’t disturb the tranquility of the mountaintop.

Our outdoor escalators are designed to withstand severe weather conditions. And to save electricity and reduce wear and tear, sensors suspend operation when the escalators aren’t in use.

The elevator hoistways are concealed among the park’s trees, and the escalators follow the contours of the mountain.