A story about the Statue of Liberty. Who gave America the Statue of Liberty? How was the Statue of Liberty used? Why is the statue green?

Statue of Liberty in New York (New York, USA) - description, history, location, reviews, photos and videos.

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Perhaps, not only a native American, but also any inhabitant of our planet, when asked what is the symbol of the United States, will answer without hesitation: the Statue of Liberty. It is no coincidence that we see this monument more often than others in American cinema, it is no coincidence that, being tourists, we buy up copies of the Statue of Liberty in souvenir shops and take home exactly copies of the Statue of Liberty.

Emphasizing the greatness of the monument, the Statue of Liberty is often compared with the Colossus of Rhodes, an ancient Greek statue that has not survived to this day. The poetess Emma Lazarus wrote the sonnet "The New Colossus" on the day of the opening of the Statue of Liberty. Since 1903, a special tablet with the lines of this work has adorned the pedestal of the monument.

By the way, not everyone knows that the full name of the Statue of Liberty sounds like “Liberty Enlightening the World” (Liberty Enlightening the World). The 46-meter (93-meter with a pedestal) statue of Liberty, proudly towering on the island of the same name, is a gift presented by the United States on behalf of the French people, who once supported the Americans in the struggle for independence. The idea of creating the Statue of Liberty as a symbol of independence and democracy was born in 1865 and belongs to the famous French scientist and lawyer Edouard Rene Lefebvre de Laboulaye. The concept of the monument was developed by the French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi.

The original layout of the Statue of Liberty was made by Bartholdi in 1870, today this first copy of the legendary monument can be seen in the Luxembourg Gardens near the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

Place for the Statue of Liberty or an interesting fact

In which corner american soil a monument would rise, Bartholdi chose. In his opinion, places perfect island Bedloe, located 3 km southwest of southern border Manhattan, it was simply impossible to find. However, historians lift the curtain and reveal some secrets to us.

It turns out that Bartholdi perfectly represented his giant sculpture not only on an island near New York, but also in Port Said, located in the Suez Canal, connecting the Red and mediterranean sea. The project "Egypt Bringing Light to Asia" was not destined to come true, however, Bartholdi's works were not in vain, the sculptor successfully translated his idea into reality in the United States, moreover, Lessens, the builder of the Suez Canal, was put at the head of the committee to create the Statue of Liberty in the United States.

A bit of history

The project for erecting a monument on Bedloe Island was approved by the US Congress only in 1877, and this despite the fact that, according to the French plan, an unusual present was to be ready by the 100th anniversary of the signing of the US Declaration of Independence, that is, by July 4, 1876. However, the fundraising was delayed, and by this time only a copper hand with a torch was ready, which, until the completion of work on the statue, was sheltered in New York at Madison Square. By July 1878, Lady Liberty's head was ready. At the same time, the head was presented at an exhibition at the Museum of Arts and Crafts in Paris.

It is worth noting that funds for the erection of the monument were collected by all possible ways: balls, sports competitions, exhibitions and lotteries were organized. The eloquent Pulitzer, publisher of the New-York World newspaper, provided significant assistance in financing the construction of the monument.

The first presentation of the finished Statue of Liberty took place on July 4, 1884 in France, after which the monument was dismantled and sent to the United States. The Statue of Liberty arrived in New York on July 17, 1885. The assembly of the monument lasted about 4 months. However, the official opening of the Statue of Liberty in New York by US President Grover Cleveland took place only on October 28, 1886. Only men attended the opening ceremony. And despite the fact that the Statue of Liberty is a symbol of democracy. As an exception, only Lessens' eight-year-old daughter and Bartholdi's wife were allowed on the island that day.

By the way, Bedloe Island was officially renamed Liberty Island only in 1956, although Bartholdi suggested doing this back in the 19th century, 80 years before the event.

Statue of Liberty inside and out

The Statue of Liberty is a steel frame total weight which is 125 tons. Gustav Eiffel was invited to design and build the steel structure, and Maurice Koechlin continued his work. The frame is constructed in such a way that inside the monument you can safely move around and even climb the spiral staircases to the top. There are 354 steps to the main observation deck located in the crown. From there, from 25 windows symbolizing precious stones, an amazing view of New York Harbor opens. By the way, the seven rays of the crown symbolize the seven seas and seven continents, as is commonly believed in the West.

From above, the steel skeleton is covered with copper sheets masterfully minted in wooden molds with a thickness of only 2.37 mm and a total weight of 31 tons. The copper plates spliced together form the silhouette of the statue. By the way, copper was supplied to France from Russia. It is worth noting that one leg of the statue stands on broken shackles - this is how Bartholdi symbolically showed gaining freedom. The plaque in the left hand of the Statue of Liberty bears the date of the signing of the Declaration of Independence July 4, 1776: JULY IV MDCCLXXVI.

The monument's plinth was designed by American architect Richard Morris Hunt. Work on its construction began in the summer of 1885 and completed in April 1886. The cement base of the Statue of Liberty weighs 27,000 tons. To get to the top of the pedestal, you need to overcome 192 steps. Inside the pedestal is a museum, which can be reached by elevator.

In 1924, the Statue of Liberty was listed as a national monument, in the 30s of the 20th century the entire island of Bedloe (Liberty) passed into the status national park. In 1984, the UN declared Liberty Island and the legendary monument located on it a monument of world importance.

The Statue of Liberty has been repeatedly restored, new lighting elements have been added. Currently, the monument is equipped with laser illumination.

Who is "Lady Liberty"?

Who was the model of Bartholdi, whose face illuminates the world? Who has been depicted by the great sculptor in the image of the Roman Goddess Libertas forever and ever? Surely, these questions are asked by the Americans themselves, and guests from all over the world.

There are two opinions on this. Someone believes that Bartholdi captured in his work the face of the Frenchwoman Isabella Boyer, the widow of Isaac Singer. Others are of the opinion that the Statue of Liberty inherited the image of the sculptor's mother, Charlotte. Which opinion is true is still a mystery that is unlikely to ever be solved.

How to get there

Every year, the Statue of Liberty is visited by over 4 million tourists from all over the world. Entrance to national park the island is free, however, to get to it you will have to spend money on a ferry, as well as go through a thorough inspection at the piers.

Ferries depart from New York. You can go on a trip to the Statue of Liberty from Battery Park Pier in Manhattan, or from Liberty State Park in Jersey City. Entrance to the statue is free, for the ferry you will have to pay adults 25 USD, children 4-12 years old - 15 USD. Prices on the page are for September 2018.

Hello readers of our portal! With this next article, we will try to return to the description of the most interesting and juicy places on our planet after a long break. The choice of an object for the next review did not stand for a long time - the disassembled list of 8 wonders of the world stood for too long without its candidate. Today in the review - the Statue of Liberty in the USA. The symbol in the monument to democracy and freedom of all the United States of America.

Statue of Liberty (on English language Statue of Liberty), she is also "Liberty Enlightening the World" or "Lady Liberty" - a symbol of freedom and democracy in the United States, a giant colossus statue made in the neoclassical style. The statue is located on Liberty Island, located 3 kilometers southwest of Manhattan Island. The special value of the statue was recognized by the world community - in 1984 it was included in the List world heritage UNESCO. We could not pass by such an object of human heritage.

Description of the statue

The giant Statue of Liberty stands on a pedestal. She holds a torch in her right hand and a tablet in her left. The inscription on the tablet shows the date of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence of the United States (Roman numerals - JULY IV MDCCLXXVI, July 4, 1776 in our manner). One naga steps on broken chains.

Tablet of the Statue of Liberty

To climb to the top of the statue in her crown, you need to go through 356 steps. You can shorten this excursion by climbing only to the pedestal - 192 steps. In addition to the spiral staircase inside the structure, the visitor can also use the elevator.

View inside

On the head of the statue is a crown. Its 25 windows symbolize "earthly gems and heavenly rays that illuminate the world" - which sources are not named, but it sounds at least funny. But with the rays of the crown, everything is already simpler - there are 7 of them, and they, in turn, symbolize the seven seas and continents. It is worth noting that in Western world 7 continents are considered to be. They came up with this symbolism before or after the creation of the statue is not called, but the general idea for the crown is a bit strange.

The total height of the statue is 93 meters, the net height of the statue without the pedestal is 46 meters. The manufacturing process used 31 tons of copper, 125 tons of steel and 27,000 tons of pedestal concrete.

Thin sheets of copper 2.57 mm thick were minted in wooden moulds. They were used to create the very figure of the statue. To fasten the entire structure inside the statue, a steel frame is provided, extending into concrete.

Now from the high point statue available to tourists – the crown, opens great view to New York Harbor. The pedestal houses a museum of history, and Liberty Island itself (Liberty Island, or until 1956 Bedloe Island) is also recognized as a national monument.

View from the crown

Statue of Liberty in harsh numbers

Parts of the sculpture
Height from ground to top of torch
statue height
Hand length
Index finger length
Head from crown to chin
Face Width
Eye length
Nose length
Right arm length
Right arm thickness
Waist thickness
Mouth width
Plate height
Plate Width
Plate thickness
Height from ground to top of pedestal

A little history of the statue: the beginning

The history of the Statue of Liberty begins with known fact- The statue is a gift from France to the United States in honor of the centenary of American independence. But how everything went from the emergence of the idea to the state of modern days - read below.

The idea of creating a statue belongs to the French thinker, writer and politician Edouard Rene Lefevre. Being the president of the anti-slavery society in France, he was very impressed with the victory in civil war fighters against the slave system in the USA. According to the sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, Lefebvre had this idea in 1865.

The existing policy of Napoleon III did not allow to proceed with such a project. Therefore, progress resumed only in the late 1860s. The sculptor Bartholdi had ideas to create a majestic colossus before. Initially, the project was proposed for Egypt, but the budgets did not pull the transportation and installation of the statue. The 100th Anniversary of Independence in the United States was another great opportunity to create a high-level project.

The project has taken off. According to the agreement, France was to create the sculpture itself, and the United States - the pedestal. Bartholdi acted as a sculptor. But to create such a massive structure, the help of a great engineer was required - Gustave Eiffel, the future creator of the legendary Eiffel Tower, was invited to take his place.

From first impressions to opening

The work in Bartholdi's workshop was in full swing. Already in May 1876, at the World Exhibition in Philadelphia, the right hand of the future statue with a torch was shown. For a visit to this impressive structure, they took 50 cents (not bad money at that time). The hand itself made a huge impression on the visitors of the exhibition. In order not to lead the hand back to France after the exhibition, it was placed in New York's Madison Square Garden.

At the World Exhibition of 1876

But the process of creating the statue was not without problems - there was not enough money. To solve this problem, charitable donations, entertainment events, lotteries, theatrical performances, exhibitions, auctions, boxing fights were held.

Joseph Pulitzer, publisher of the World newspaper, played a special role in raising funds. A man who has made a career from a newspaper peddler, a journalist of small notes to the owner of a publishing house - should he not understand the current thoughts of the people. Campaigns to raise funds for a new material embodiment of the American idea and dream did not last long - after 5 months of work, the funds were collected. The contribution of this man is difficult to overestimate, the Pulitzer Prize is still one of the most prestigious awards among journalists.

Workshop work

While the statue was being made, by an act of Congress in 1877, General William Sherman approved the site of the future statue - Bedloe Island. The process of choosing a place was not without the recommendations of the sculptor. The place was not chosen by chance - at the mouth of the Hudson, near Ellis Island, the place where all newly arrived future US citizens arrived, the place where their initial registration was made.

The construction of the pedestal began on August 5, 1885 - on this day the first stone was laid here. The project architect is Richard Morris. Less than a year later - April 22, 1886 - the pedestal was already finished. Additionally, 2 lintels of steel beams were built into the masonry, which are connected by anchor beams extending upwards as part of the steel frame of the statue. Thus, the pedestal and the statue are one whole, an integral massive strong construction.

The Statue of Liberty was completed back in 1884, and on June 17, 1885, it was delivered to New York Harbor. For transportation, it was previously disassembled into 350 parts and packed in 214 boxes. Note that the assembly process itself took another 4 months. Here he is a real designer for great people.

The grand opening of the statue took place on October 28, 1886. The opening was delayed from the idea for 10 years. US President Grover Cleveland also took part in this ceremony, who here uttered the phrase that went down in history:

“We will always remember that Freedom has chosen this place as its home, and oblivion will never cover its altar”

After opening

Previously, Fort Wood was built at the location of the statue (it was built for the war of 1812, of course, not with Napoleon), which has the shape of a five-pointed star. In the center of it, on a pedestal, a statue was installed. On October 15, 1924, Fort Wood and the statue were declared a national monument. And later, the entire island fell under the square of the national monument.

Slums of early Fort Wood

Still later, they also included neighboring island Ellis, which at first housed an immigration center where all newcomers to the country were registered.

View from the ship upon arrival in New York

In 1982, President Ronald Reagan is going to restore a slightly tired monument. The event is raising $87 million. Immediately at the beginning of the restoration in 1984, the statue is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. On July 5, 1986, it again became open to visitors.

Statue Restoration

Back in 1916, the stairs to the torch were closed for safety reasons. During the restoration of 1986, the torch was replaced with a new one, covered with 24 carat gold. The old torch was placed at the pedestal. But still, the access to the crown remains the maximum accessible point for the visitor.

old torch

Everyone remembers September 11, 2001 - the day the terrorists attacked the World shopping mall. The statue and the island were immediately closed to visitors, it was impossible to risk visitors - after all, this is a symbol of all America. Since then, access to the statue has become more difficult. It was possible to get to the island from the end of 2001, to the pedestal only from August 4, 2004. On July 4, 2009, President Barack Obama opened access to the statue, but with restrictions on the number of visitors per day.

The next installation of new elevators and stairs took place from October 29, 2011 to October 28, 2012. Currently, full access is resumed up to the crown.

The Statue of Liberty or, as it is also called, Lady Liberty, has symbolized the spread of freedom and democracy for many years. A striking symbol of liberation is the trampling of broken fetters by the statue. Impressive structure located on the mainland North America in New York, invariably appears to the eyes of all its guests and gives the most unforgettable experience.

Creation of the Statue of Liberty

The monument went down in history as a gift to the United States from the French government. By official version this event took place in honor of America's celebration of 100 years since independence, as well as a sign of friendship between the two states. The author of the project was the leader of the French anti-slavery movement Edouard Rene Lefebvre de Labuela.

Work on the creation of the statue began in 1875 in France and was completed in 1884. They were headed by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, a talented French sculptor. It was this outstanding person who for 10 years created the future symbol of freedom on a global scale in his art studio.

The work was carried out in collaboration with the best minds of France. Gustave Eiffel, developer of the creation project eiffel tower, took part in the creation of the design of the inner steel frame of the famous statue. The work was continued by one of his assistants, engineer Maurice Kehlin.

The solemn ceremony of presenting the French gift to American colleagues was scheduled for July 1876. An obstacle to the implementation of the plan was a banal lack of funds. US President Grover Cleveland was able to accept in a solemn ceremony a gift from the French government only 10 years later. The date of the ceremonial handover of the Statue was October 1886. Bedloe Island has been designated as the location for the historic ceremony. After 70 years, it received the name "Island of Freedom".

Description of the legendary landmark

The Statue of Liberty is on the list of the world's most famous masterpieces. Her right hand proudly raises a torch, while her left hand displays a tablet with inscriptions. The inscription indicates the date of the most important event for the entire American people - Independence Day of the United States of America.

The dimensions of Lady Liberty are impressive. Its height from the ground to the top of the torch is 93 meters. Head size - 5.26 meters, nose length - 1.37 m, eyes - 0.76 m, arms - 12.8 meters, the length of each hand is 5 m. The size of the plate is 7.19 m.

Curious what the Statue of Liberty is made of. It took at least 31 tons of copper to cast her body. The entire steel structure weighs in total about 125 tons.

The 25 view windows located in the crown are a symbol of the wealth of the country. And the rays coming out of it in the amount of 7 pieces are a symbol of the seven continents and seas. In addition to this, they symbolize the expansion of freedom in all directions.

Traditionally, the location of the monument is reached by ferry. Favorite place visiting is the crown. To enjoy the local landscapes and views of the New York coast from a height, you need to climb to a special platform inside it. To this end, visitors will have to overcome a large number of steps - 192 to the top of the pedestal, and then 356 already in the body itself.

As a reward for the most persistent visitors, extensive views of New York with its picturesque surroundings open up. No less interesting is the pedestal where the museum with historical expositions located in it is located.

Little known interesting facts about the Statue of Liberty

The period of creation and subsequent existence of the monument is filled interesting facts and stories. Some of them are not illuminated even when tourists visit New York City.

The first name of the Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty is the name by which the masterpiece is known throughout the world. At first it was known under the name "Liberty Enlightening the World" - "Freedom Enlightening the World." At first, instead of it, it was planned to erect a monument in the form of a farmer with a torch in his hand. The place of establishment was to be the territory of Egypt at the entrance to the Suez Canal. The drastically changed plans of the Egyptian government prevented this.

The prototype of the face of the Statue of Liberty

The information is widespread that the face of the Statue of Liberty is nothing more than a fiction of the author. However, two versions of its origin are known. According to the first, the face of the famous model of French origin, Isabella Boyer, became the prototype of the face. According to another, Frederick Bartholdi immortalized the face of his own mother in the monument.

Metamorphoses with color

Immediately after creation, the statue was distinguished by a bright golden-orange color. In St. Petersburg, visitors to the Hermitage can see a painting depicting it in its original form. Today, the monument has acquired a green color. This is due to patination, a process in which the metal acquires a blue-green hue when interacting with air. This transformation of the American symbol lasted for 25 years, which is captured in numerous photos. The copper coating of the statue naturally oxidized, which can be seen today.

"Journeys" of the head of Lady Liberty

A little-known fact: before all the pieces of the French gift were collected in New York, the Statue of Liberty had to travel around the country disassembled for some time. Her head was exhibited in one of the Philadelphia museums in 1878. The French also decided to enjoy the unprecedented spectacle before she left for her destination. In the same year, the head was put on public display at one of the Paris exhibitions.

Former record holder

In the 21st century, there are buildings that surpass the symbol of America in height and heaviness. However, during the development of the Statue project, its concrete base was the largest and largest concrete structure in the world. Outstanding records soon ceased to be such, but the monument is still associated in the world consciousness with everything majestic and new.

Twins of the Statue of Liberty

Many copies of the American symbol have been created around the world, among which several dozen can be found in the United States itself. A couple of 9-meter copies can be seen in the vicinity of New York's National Liberty Bank. Another copy, reduced to 3 meters, holding the Bible, adorns the state of California.

The official twin copy of the monument appeared in the late 80s of the XX century. The Americans presented it to the French people as a token of friendship and gratitude. Today this gift can be seen in Paris on one of the islands of the Seine rivers. The copy is reduced, however, it is able to hit others with an 11-meter height.

Residents of Tokyo, Budapest, Lvov erected their own copies of the monument.

The authorship of a copy reduced to a minimum belongs to the inhabitants of western Ukraine - the sculptor Mikhail Kolodko and the architect Alexander Bezik. You can see this masterpiece of modern art in Uzhgorod, in Transcarpathia. The comic sculpture is made of bronze, is only 30 cm high and weighs about 4 kg. Today it symbolizes the desire of the local population for self-expression and is known as the smallest replica in the world.

Extreme "adventures" of the monument

The Statue of Liberty has gone through a lot in its lifetime. In July 1916, a brutal terrorist attack took place in America. On the island of Liberty located near the island of Black Tom Island, explosions were heard, comparable in strength to an earthquake of about 5.5 points. Their culprits were saboteurs from Germany. During these events, the monument received severe damage to some of its parts.

In 1983, in front of a large audience, illusionist David Copperfield conducted an unforgettable experiment in the disappearance of the Statue of Liberty. The original focus was a success. The huge statue really disappeared, and the stunned audience tried in vain to find a logical explanation for what they saw. In addition to performing miracles, Copperfield surprised with a ring of light around the Statue of Liberty and another next to it.

Today, the symbol of the United States still towers majestically in the sky over New York, retains its important global importance and is the pride of the American nation. For America itself and other states, it is associated with the spread of democratic values, freedom and independence throughout the world. Since 1984, the Statue has become part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The most famous symbol of America is the sculpture "Liberty Enlightening the World". Many are aware that it was a gift from France, but few people know which country else participated in its creation, albeit indirectly.

Also from the article it will be possible to learn about some interesting facts related to the construction, installation and operation of the statue. And also you will know the names of those who made a lot of effort to create a monument.

What was the gift for?

It is known who gave America the Statue of Liberty. But what was this gift dedicated to? In 1876, France decided to present a present for the centenary of US independence. It took years to raise funds for this idea. The French and Americans took part in this. But while the statue was erected, several years had passed, and the anniversary of independence had already passed.

"Lady Liberty" holds a tablet in her hand, on which the date of signing is written in Latin, namely "July 4, 1776". In 1883, Emma Lazarus' sonnet "The New Colossus" was dedicated to the statue. Lines from it were engraved on a plate in 1903 and attached to the pedestal of the sculpture.

History of creation

The story began with the decision of France to entrust this work to the sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi. Further, the countries agreed that the pedestal would be built by American forces, and the sculpture - at the expense of the French. Who else was involved in the creation of the gift?

For your attention - a list of those who gave America the Statue of Liberty:

Frederic Bartholdi designed appearance and gave his wishes as to where the Lady Liberty would be best placed;
and his assistant Maurice Koechlin created drawings of a massive steel support and supporting frame;
Richard Morris designed the pedestal for the sculpture;
US General William Sherman chose the site for the statue;
Ulysses Grant is the President of the United States who supported the idea of creating a symbol of Freedom.

The sculpture was completed in 1884. She was delivered disassembled on the frigate Ysere to New York Harbor a year later. It took more than two hundred boxes to do this. The assembly took four months, and the official opening took place on 10/28/1886. Despite the fact that the gift was ten years late for the centenary, many honored guests gathered for its opening, including US President Grover Cleveland. If it were not for such a belated opening of the monument, then the people of America heard a congratulatory speech from which 07/04/1976 still held this post.

Russian trace

In addition to the French and Americans, according to some sources, Russians are also involved in sculpture. The copper sheets with which it was covered were purchased in Russia. They were made at the Nizhny Tagil plant. However, many researchers have already been able to refute this fact. The fact is that in those days there had not yet been laid in Nizhny Tagil Railway. The researchers concluded that the copper was brought from Norway, although there is no documentary evidence for this.

Who gave America the Statue of Liberty? Regardless of whether there was a Russian or Norwegian trace in this, it was the French people who initiated and created the symbol of freedom.

Selecting a location for installation

Where is the Statue of Liberty today? As at the time of its installation, it is located on an island three kilometers southwest of Manhattan (its southern part), in New York. Before the appearance of the statue, it was called Bedloe's Island. After the installation of a French gift on it, the people began to call it the island of Liberty. In 1956 it was officially renamed.

Use of the statue

For the entire period of its existence, the well-known symbol of America was not just an architectural monument. Initially, it was planned to be used as a lighthouse. Practice has shown that the lamps in the torch were weak and inefficient. From the unit that managed the lighthouses, the figure was transferred to the military department, and later to the service that dealt with national parks.

By 1924, the exhibit became a US National Monument, and was later included in the UNESCO list.

How was the Statue of Liberty used? different years? She had the following incarnations:

lighthouse;
museum;
Observation deck.

During the entire existence of the figure, it was repaired many times, but the most global work was carried out in 1938 and 1984.

The reader already knows who gave America the Statue of Liberty. But few people know that the sculpture depicts ancient Greek (some historians agree on this). This goddess was the mistress of hell, and the torch was used by her in underworld. In addition, she was considered the patroness of witchcraft, insanity, madness, obsession. Hecate was depicted with horns on her head, but they can be seen at the statue in the form of rays of light. Although it is believed that in fact Bartholdi embodied the image of the ancient Roman goddess Libertas.

The right hand holding the torch crossed Atlantic Ocean three times. It was first transported in 1884 to Philadelphia by world exhibition, after which they returned it. The third time the hand swam across the ocean with all the other parts of the statue.

After the events of September 11, 2001, access to the island and the symbol of America was closed. By 2012, access was fully open, up to the crown. You can go up the stairs or take the elevator. To reach the crown, you need to go through 356 steps. On observation deck 25 windows were created that offer a view of the harbor.

There are many smaller copies in the world. For example, in Paris, Tokyo, and more than two hundred copies are in America itself.

It is believed that the number of rays on the crown symbolize the seven continents, according to Western geographical tradition.

By 1886, the torch was badly damaged by corrosion and it was replaced with a new one, which was covered with 24-carat gold.

The Statue of Liberty is a national landmark and one of the main symbols of the United States of America. This one was a gift to the US from the French people supporting them in their fight for independence. According to the ideas of the architects, the Statue of Liberty is positioned as a symbol of democracy and independence.

idea of this architectural structure appeared in 1865 and belongs to a Frenchman named Edouard de Laboulaye. To put this idea into practice, he was helped by a then unknown sculptor named Frederic Auguste Bartholdi. As a result, it was conceived to design a huge lighthouse in the form of a woman holding a torch in her right outstretched hand. According to the idea, it is the torch that lights the way for sailors heading to the port of New York.

This monument-lighthouse was designed and built by the famous Gustave Eiffel (Eiffel Tower in Paris). The result was a steel frame weighing 125 tons and a height of 93 meters along with a pedestal. The lighthouse was built in such a way that inside the statue you can move freely and climb the stairs to the most important observation deck, located in. By the way, the lighthouse has already been restored several times: modern lighting elements (laser illumination) have been added to it.

Where is the Statue of Liberty

It was erected on Bedloe Island (Liberty Island) in New York. The opening of this architectural landmark took place in 1886, accompanied by cannon shots, fireworks and a siren. Since then, the legendary Statue of Liberty has greeted ships entering the port of New York every day and welcomed tourists from different parts of the world. By the way, the full name of this monument sounds like this: "Freedom, illuminating the world." Currently, there is also the very first layout of the Statue of Liberty, which can be seen in Paris near the famous Eiffel Tower.

Why is the Statue of Liberty in New York?

The fact is that the place for the future lighthouse was chosen by the sculptor Bartholdi himself. It was he who decided that the future pedestal should stand on Bedloe Island (Liberty Island), located 3 kilometers from the southern border of Manhattan. The sculptor assured that this place was the best solution in the location of a woman with a torch, who, day after day, would meet ships heading for New York and illuminate their path. According to Bartholdi, it is Liberty Island that makes it possible to bring the original idea to life most fully.

According to some reports, the Statue of Liberty was originally planned to be erected in Port Said, located in the Suez Canal, which, in turn, connects two seas - the Red and the Mediterranean. However, this project was not implemented, and it was decided to erect the future lighthouse in the United States.