In June 2014, as Rio de Janeiro prepared to host the football World Cup, British photographer and travel-company founder Lee Thompson posted a selfie that went around the world: his grinning face at the very top of Christ the Redeemer, with Rio spread out far below.

Lee Thompson emerging from the top of Christ the Redeemer in his specially authorised 2014 photograph
Lee Thompson on top of Christ the Redeemer in 2014. Photo: Lee Thompson / The Flash Pack.

How Lee Thompson took the Christ the Redeemer selfie

Thompson was in Rio covering the World Cup when he obtained special permission from the Brazilian tourism authorities to climb the statue, as TIME reported on 2 June 2014. He went up the steep access steps inside the figure, the same route maintenance workers use, and out onto the top of the head. He and a colleague filmed the climb and the photos were shared on Twitter.

The ascent pictures show him beside the statue's outstretched arms and on top of the head, high above Rio.

Lee Thompson beside the raised arm of Christ the Redeemer during the authorised 2014 shoot
Beside the statue's arm during the climb. Photo: Lee Thompson / The Flash Pack.
A small figure beside the outstretched arm of Christ the Redeemer in the 2014 shoot
The arms span 28 m. Photo: Lee Thompson / The Flash Pack.

Christ the Redeemer: facts and history

Christ the Redeemer (Cristo Redentor) is 30 m tall, standing on an 8 m pedestal, with arms that span 28 m. It was built between 1922 and 1931 and dedicated on 12 October 1931. French sculptor Paul Landowski created the design, Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa engineered it with Carlos Oswald, and Romanian sculptor Gheorghe Leonida carved the face. The statue is made of reinforced concrete covered in a mosaic of soapstone tiles.

It stands on the summit of Corcovado, about 700 m high, inside Tijuca National Park, one of the largest urban forests in the world. In 2007 it was voted one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. Its exposed position means it is hit by lightning regularly: a strike in 2008 damaged the fingers, head and eyebrows, and another in 2014 dislodged a finger. That is why technicians climb inside it so often for repairs.

Lee Thompson raising his arms above the head of Christ the Redeemer during his authorised shoot
Photo: The Flash Pack

How to visit Christ the Redeemer

The classic way up is the Corcovado rack railway, which climbs through the Tijuca forest from Cosme Velho; authorised vans also run from several points in the city. At the top, escalators, walkways and lifts installed in 2003 lead to the platform at the foot of the statue. The inside of the monument is closed to visitors, but the terrace gives the same sweeping view over Copacabana, Ipanema, Sugarloaf and the Lagoa.

Visitors approaching Christ the Redeemer from the normal public viewing area
Visitors on the public terrace below the statue. Photo: Lee Thompson / The Flash Pack.

Go early in the morning, before cloud often gathers on the summit and the crowds arrive, and check the weather: on a cloudy day the statue can disappear completely. Our Rio de Janeiro guide helps fit Corcovado into a wider itinerary.

More creative travel photography

A great travel picture can come from an idea as well as a lofty position. See how one couple use opposite viewpoints in Lens Between Us.

Sources

Photos: Lee Thompson / The Flash Pack.