Elevators
Three glass-sided panoramic elevators were installed, each able to carry 13 people, or a load over a ton. Access is easy both to visitors who arrive at the parking lot and those who disembark on the Corcovado Train platform. The trip begins right there, for the 33-meter (nearly 100 feet) tower unveils the first sight of the city below.

The tower itself has been covered with galvanized metal sheets, backed by a layer of “mineral wool”, a material that is totally fire-proof and heat resistant. It makes sure that the internal parts of the mechanisms are protected against any heat that might lead to damage.

The trip up takes about 20 seconds and both the speed and the elevators’ maximum capacity were taken into account so that the longest time any visitor would have to wait is no longer than 6 minutes, even during peak times. The choice of exactly the right equipment also took into consideration such priorities as the environment and energy conservation. All things considered, the choice fell on Otis Elevators, Model Gen2. Imported from France, these elevators need no power-house, since the usual steel cables are replaced by polyurethane-coated belts, which need no lubrication. This also led to a 30% reduction in energy consumption.

For safety reasons, the elevators are monitored by REM software (Remote Monitoring System) which alerts against any operational hitches and has a loud-speaker system that is in direct connection with Customer Service. The true capacity of these elevators is 12 times more than legally required. And, moreover, noise pollution is at a minimum – at the very most 62Dbs, the same as a normal conversation.

Escalators
Furthermore, four escalators have been installed, two in both directions. These have also been made by Otis Elevators in Germany and are 16 meters (48 feet) in length and rise at a gradient of 30 degrees at a speed of half a meter per second (18 inches). Each pair of climbs 6 meters (18 feet) and are interlinked by walkways that lead visitors right up to the Statue. Both sides of the escalators provide ample protection against accidents and are equipped with special anti-accident features, such as non-slip aluminum steps, suitably resistant to weathering at a height of 700 meters (2,100 feet), including storms and winds of up to 140 kilometers an hour (about 90 miles an hour). The noise level of the escalators is even lower than that of the elevators – 58 Dbs.

An "invisible" construction
Studies were carried out to lessen the visual impact that such a construction would have on a Statue that city-dwellers were so used to seeing from every angle. Architect, Mauricio Prochnik, drew up plans so that the elevators and escalators would follow the outline of the mountainside and be camouflaged behind the trees on the northern slope. The whole structure was painted in various shades of green with a special anti-corrosive paint and equipped with special glass that reflects the sun’s rays. The only part visible is forged from a special type of steel, resistant to atmospheric corrosion. This is exactly the structure that supports the escalators and the walkways between.

Shoring up the mountainside
Before any work was begun, it was crucial that the slopes of the Corcovado Mountain should be shored up. This was carried out by GeoRio, which prepared the site to carry the extra weight. This would have had to been carried out anyway to avoid cracks and fissures in the rock face. The next step was to lay the foundations and the supports for the elevators tower and the escalators. The workmen really had their work out for them, as they had to hang down the mountainside by ropes, like mountaineers, in order to reach their work sites.

During the work, warnings and sign-posts were set up to inform visitors of areas that were restricted and also point to alternative routes to the monument. A temporary ramp was set up to help tourists, who had arrived by train, to reach the top.

When the project was finally completed, additional help was provided to the visitor in the form of sign-posts. These were set up on the belvedere to point out the main tourist attractions.

The environment was always been a main concern during the development of the project. For this very reason, a team of experts from various fields was called in from the Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro to produce a report on Studies on the Environment to point out any impact that the elevators and escalators might have. When all was finally approved by team of technicians from several institutions, such as the Rio de Janeiro City Hall, via the Secretary for the Environment, FEEMA, IBAMA, IPHAN, the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro and the Roberto Marinho Foundation, all of whom analyzed the various aspects of all that had been put forward in the project.

This report on the environmental impact led to a thorough investigation into the local flora. It revealed that most of the species that were to be found in the area was not native. The interference of the Man had transformed the region, which was originally part of the Atlantic Seaboard Forest, into a “hotch-potch” . Many of these plants are known as “opportunist” and were seeded by tourists who had discarded seeds such as of the tangerine.

At first, it was predicted that 26 trees and bushes would be affect by the construction. However, when all was concluded, only four trees, none of which were native, had to be removed. A good pruning was all that was needed in the other cases. Advantage was taken of the opportunity to replant native species from the Atlantic Forest. An added benefit is that, besides being original species, these are more adapted to the environment and help to avoid soil erosion.

Neither the animals that inhabit the mountain remained entirely free of Man’s interference. Many have been drawn there by scraps of food thrown away by visitors. In order to put a stop to this, garbage collection has been upgraded and more garbage cans are to be found in strategic areas. Furthermore, the frequency of garbage collection has been stepped up.

Cleaning and Organization
Quite apart from making access easier, the second phase of the project has made everything more comfortable for the visitors. A survey was carried out on the likely increase in the number of tourists. In 2002, Christ the Redeemer received 750,000 visitors and predictions show that this number will probably grow by 20%, now that access has been made that much easier.

In order to ensure a minimal impact that the new additions might have, a course on environmental education was given to all employees involved in the work. They were divided into groups and received theoretical classes on the importance of the environment and what steps would be needed to ensure its preservation. At the end, along with their families, they all spent a day as if they were tourists visiting Corcovado and even wandered down forest trails. The result was startling. They were all transformed into staunch defenders of nature.

And it did not stop there. Even before the project had been concluded, the associates all resolved to go on with the work on the Tijuca National Park. This time, the Project “Education for Nature” was set up which intends especially to train teachers for visitors. The total overhaul of the Visitors’ Center, training for environmental monitors and sign-posts down the forest trails. The project also intends to call on volunteers to take thousands of students on visits to the Park. For you to have an idea of how important the conservation of this area is, the Atlantic Seaboard Forest has been declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO and a National Heritage by the Constitution.

The first stage of the Christ the Redeemer Project began in 2000 when the Statue was restored with a new special kind of protection which will be crucial to its future survival. The final result could be seen by the whole city on March 23rd of that year, an Easter Sunday. At that time, a new lighting system enhanced all the work that had been carried out.
First, the whole Statue and the stairways up to the belvedere were thoroughly cleaned. Then, all parts of the Statue that needed repair were duly dealt with and so prepared as to benefit fully from the new illumination. The new spotlights really brought out the greenish hue of the soap-stone mosaic that covers the whole of the Statue.

Even while covered by scaffolding, the Statue was the scene for a declaration of love to Rio de Janeiro. Actor, Marcos Frota, and a group of professional mountaineers set up a green and yellow heart (the colors of the Brazilian flag) and toasted all the visitors who had come up to Corcovado.
But the main feature of this stage is to be found inside, not outside, the Statue: the cathode protection. This is a titanium mesh that, when electrified, attracts all the salt away from the mortar and so, protects the Statue from corrosion.

Cathode Protection
In order to make sure that the Statue was really and truly protected, technology usually used in the petroleum industry and in ship-building was needed. The titanium mesh was donated by the American company, Corrpro Inc. and covers the whole of the inside of the Statue. This cathode protection is crucial because it protects the structure from its worst enemy: salt.

The mortar used in the construction of the Statue is an efficient mixture of sand, sugar and whale oil, which was quite usual at the time the Statue was built. However, this composition also includes a very aggressive component: sodium chloride. Over the years, the salt from the mortar has been causing the oxidation of the metal structure that serves as the support of the concrete.

Protection is ensured when the mesh is electrified. It takes on a positive charge, while the sodium chloride molecules, in the other words, the salt, are negatively charged. Thus, the metal inner structure of the Statue is freed from this corrosive agent which collects around the titanium mesh.

Cleaning
Washing Christ the Redeemer called for special equipment and a number of laboratory tests analyses. Kärcher, a German company that is known worldwide for its expertise in the cleaning of historic monuments, including the Statue of Liberty, was encharged with the actual washing of the Statue and the stairways.

Exceptional care was taken not to damage in any way the soap-stone mosaic that covers the Statue. Accompanied by the National Artistic and historic Heritage Institute, known as IPHAN, and based on results of several tests, it was decided that only pure water would be used. Even the dose of chlorine it contained was carefully measure. The percentage added was needed in order to guarantee the purity of the water, without, however, leaving any residue whatsoever. Special equipment was used to clean the Statue which controlled the pressure and was able to produce a jet of water of mere 10 “bars” (the unit of measurement of pressure) which was so soft as to be called “humid mist”. At all costs, there could be no damage or wear and tear to the little triangles of soap-stone that covers the monument.

Restoration of the Mosaic
The first phase of this project involved a detailed search for any cracks and fissures, or damage of any kind. The company Concrepoxi, which backed the project, was encharged with this task. All in all, the technicians had to restore 7 square meters (21 sq. ft.) of surface, at several different points of the body of the Statue. This was work that required a considerable amount of courage in order to climb the scaffolding at that height. For many of the workers, such as José Cícero Magalhães, who affectionately calls the Statue “the Saint”, this was a job they will never forget! After all had been taken into account, it was necessary to replace the soap-stone mosaic where damage was at its worst. It is just possible to notice the difference in the hue of the new stones, which do not have exactly the same green as the originals. In so far as this a historic monument, one can put this down to the history and the restoration of the Statue.

New Lighting
A partnership between General Electric, which donated the equipment, and Rioluz, which drew up the lighting plan, made the monument more clearly visible and more beautiful. Multivapor metallic of 1,000 watts were installed. These top-line and are notable for their faithful reproduction of color, plus filters that suppress ultraviolet radiation. They produce a white light which enhances the original greenish hue of the Statue.

The monument has also been enhanced for daylight viewing. The old structures that held the 44 spots have given way to a mere 16 smaller ones. The new system has yet another advantage, since it means a 30% saving in energy. The project also included a new location for the installation of the equipment, beyond the belvedere and below ground level. The point is to make the Statue the only feature and not interfere in the vision of the Christ.

The lighting plan has also taken the environment into account. The spots have anti-ultraviolet and anti-infrared filters which reduce the emission of these electromagnetic radiations to levels far below those produced by the former system. Care was taken to mount the spots in pairs and groups were also installed. Thus, if any lamp were to burn out, the overall result would not be affected.

Neither will black-outs have any affect on the Christ. Any unforeseen power out will be taken care of by a 36 KVA generator which lights up a group of stand-by spots which can keep going up to 50 hours.