Christ the Redeemer to halve visitor capacity during multi‑year modernization

Starting on 3 August, the four escalators that serve the summit of Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer statue will be shut down for a modernization project expected to finish in May 2027. The monument will remain open, but visitor capacity on the upper Corcovado will be reduced by about 50 % for roughly ten months, and queues will be longer.

The works include replacing the aging escalators with two new inclined elevators and adding five chair‑lifts and five climbing cars to improve access for people with reduced mobility. The upgrades are funded by roughly R$ 15 million of Petrobras environmental‑compensation funds. At the same time, the ICMBio agency signed a five‑year technical cooperation agreement with the Rio de Janeiro municipality to enhance management, conservation and visitor services in the surrounding Tijuca National Park.