Christ the Redeemer stands 38 metres tall on the summit of Corcovado mountain, arms spread wide, watching over Rio de Janeiro. It is one of the most recognised landmarks on the planet. It is also one of the most frequently struck by lightning.

A Target in the Sky

The peak that holds the statue sits high above the city, exposed to the Atlantic storms that roll in off the sea. According to Brazil's National Institute for Space Research, the statue is struck by lightning 3 to 5 times every year. Most strikes are absorbed by the existing lightning rods. Others are not.

The 2014 Damage

On January 16, 2014, an electrical storm swept through Rio de Janeiro. In three hours, the city recorded 1,109 lightning strikes. One of them hit Christ the Redeemer directly, breaking off the tip of the right thumb. The damage was discovered the following morning. Workers rappelled down the outstretched arm to assess the loss.

It was not the first time. A storm in February 2008 had already struck the statue, damaging the head, eyebrows, and fingers. After the 2014 hit, engineers approved a project to extend the lightning rods - but the site is so exposed that complete protection is not possible.

The Soapstone Stockpile

The outer shell of Christ the Redeemer is covered in soapstone tiles, a material chosen for its durability and ease of working. When lightning strips pieces away, the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro replaces them using stone from the same original source. Father Omar Raposo of the Archdiocese confirmed that the church keeps a dedicated stock of the original soapstone for exactly this purpose.

The priest offered a dry summary of the situation: "They say lightning does not strike the same spot twice. But with the Christ, it does."

A Wonder of the World - and a Lightning Rod

Christ the Redeemer was completed in 1931 and voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007. It draws around 2 million visitors a year. Most come to see the view. Fewer know that the statue they are standing beneath has been quietly patched back together, piece by piece, after storms that keep coming back.

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