Brazil’s Christ the Redeemer Statue Reopened After Being Closed for Nearly 5 Months

Brazil’s famous Christ the Redeemer statue reopened to the public this past weekend with reduced capacity and shorter hours to abide by coronavirus-sparked protocol.

The famous 98-foot-tall statue, which overlooks Rio de Janeiro, reopened with only a third of its normal capacity, temperature checks, and hand sanitizer placed throughout, according to Paineiras Corcovado, the park’s management company. Masks are also mandatory when visiting.

“After almost five closed months, thinking about the safety of our ambassadors and visitors, Paineiras-Corcovado started its gradual reopening!” the company wrote on Instagram on Sunday. “With all the necessary measures, such as mandatory use of a mask and reduced people capacity, you will be able to visit our Visitors Center and the statue of Christ the Redeemer, perfect place for that family photo!”

The park will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and closed on Tuesdays “to perform a thorough cleaning in all environments.” Tourist vans will also be limited to less than 50 percent capacity with only seven people allowed at once.

The opening comes as Brazil has reported more than 3.3 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, the second-most in the world behind only the U.S., according to Johns Hopkins University. Brazil has also recorded more than 108,000 coronavirus-related deaths.

In addition to Christ the Redeemer, the country’s Sugarloaf Mountain, the Rio Star ferris wheel, and the AquaRio aquarium all reopened as well, CNN reported, with temperature checks in place.

The Christ the Redeemer statue has been closed for months, but has remained part of the fabric of the city, getting lit up in both a doctor’s uniform as well as the flags of countries affected by coronavirus outbreaks.

While tourist attractions have started to open up again, the Mayor of Rio de Janeiro has said the city’s famous beaches will not officially reopen until there is an available COVID-19 vaccine.