The main tourist spots in Rio de Janeiro, including the famous statue of Christ the Redeemer known around the world, reopened to the public on Saturday, after five months of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic. “ The reopening of Christ symbolizes the reopening of Brazil to tourism, ” Environment Minister Ricardo Salles said at the inauguration of the monument.
Visitors will need to wear a mask, keep a minimum distance of two meters from each other, and will not be allowed to lie on the ground, which is often done by those looking for the best angle to take a photo.
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Located at the top of Corcovado Hill (710 meters above sea level), the monument offers panoramic views of the city. Visits were suspended in March, when social distancing measures were imposed to curb the spread of the virus.
The Pao d'A'ucar mountain cable car, which offers a panoramic view from another point of the city, the AquaRio aquarium and the giant Rio Star wheel also reopened on Saturday.
Rio state, with a population of 17 million, has recorded more than 14,500 deaths and nearly 190,000 infections, according to official figures.
