The Statue of Liberty is a monument located on Liberty Island in New York City. It represents “Libertas ,” the Roman goddess of liberty, and was offered by the French as a gift for the centennial of American Independence .
Considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1984, the Statue of Liberty was made of copper, steel, cast iron and gold. It is considered the heaviest sculpture in the world, weighing 255 tons.
The sculptor responsible was Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi , who had the help of the engineer Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel, who years later was responsible for the design of the Eiffel Tower.
The official name of the statue is “Liberty Enlightening the World” . About 4 million people visit the monument each year – the journey to the island is made by boat or ferry.
Features of the Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty weighs 255 tons, is 46.5 meters high without the pedestal and 92.99 meters with the pedestal.In the statue’s right hand is a flaming torch – representing freedom – and in the left hand, a tablet on which is written July 4, 1776 in Roman numerals – the date of the United States Declaration of Independence.
It is possible to climb up to the crown of the statue, where there are 25 windows. Access to the crown is only by stairs, there are 354 steps – the equivalent of a 22-story building.Its crown has 7 rays, which represent the 7 continents and the 7 seas of the world.
Originally, the Statue of Liberty was reddish-brown because it was covered in copper. However, due to exposure to rain, wind and pollution, this material oxidized and the statue acquired a blue-green hue..
History of the Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty was a gift from the French people to the American people in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Independence of the United States , which was completed in 1886.
The idea was proposed by French historian Edouard de Laboulaye in 1865, who suggested offering a statue to the United States to celebrate the country’s success in building a democracy.
Its design was a partnership between the two countries: the statue would be made by France and the pedestal by the Americans. The pedestal was designed by American architect Richard Morris Hunt.Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi, a famous French sculptor, was responsible for the sculpture. The structure of the statue was designed by engineer Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel and architect Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc.
Several events and exhibitions were organized in the United States and France to raise funds for the construction of this enormous monument.Construction of the statue was completed in Paris in July 1884 and the sculpture was divided into about 350 pieces, which were packed and transported by the French frigate Isere .
This journey took a year and the pieces arrived in New York in 1885. It took 4 months to assemble the statue, which was inaugurated in October 1886 .In 1986, to celebrate its 100th anniversary, the Statue of Liberty underwent major renovations. The entire statue was cleaned and its crown was replaced because it was corroded.
The Statue of Liberty is one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World and one of the most important tourist attractions in the United States. In addition to freedom, it represents democracy and hope .
