The Statue of Liberty, whose full and official name is "Liberty Enlightening the World", is one of the most famous statues not only in the United States, but throughout the world. It is a gift from French citizens for the centenary of the American Revolution.
History of the construction of the statue
The creator of the Statue of Liberty is the French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, who, according to legend, even invited a model to pose for his idea. She is believed to have been Isabella Boyer, wife of the famous Isaac Singer, who contributed many interesting developments to the sewing machine industry.
Americans also call the New York statue the "Symbol of New York and the United States," "The Symbol of Freedom and Democracy," and "Lady Liberty."
According to the original plan, "Freedom" was to be installed in Port Said (territory of Egypt). Moreover, in this case, the statue would most likely be called the "Light of Asia". But, unfortunately, and maybe fortunately, the Egyptian government then decided that transporting the statue would cost the country's budget too much.
French builders used only local materials in their work. During the construction, Bashkir copper and German cement were also purchased.
Completion of construction work took place in 1884, after which, in June 1885, "Freedom" arrived in the harbor of New York in 214 boxes and divided into 350 parts. The official opening of the monument dates back to October 28, 1886, and many residents of the city and its guests gathered at the official ceremony.
Location and other characteristics of the Statue of Liberty
The country's authorities chose Liberty Island, located three kilometers southwest of the southern tip of Manhattan, as the place of collection and permanent location of the sculpture.
Until 1956, Liberty Island had a different name - "Bedlow Island", although New Yorkers have nicknamed it by the name of the statue since its installation.
The height of the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island is 93 meters from the ground to the tip of the torch, and the "height" of the "Liberty" itself is 46 meters. The weight of the steel structure is about 125 tons, and its concrete base is 27 thousand tons. When casting thin copper sheets of 2.57 millimeters, of which the statue was built, 31 tons of copper were used.
192 steps separate the visitors from the ground to the top of the pedestal, and 356 steps from the pedestal to the crown of "Freedom". In the crown itself, 25 windows are made, symbolizing the heavenly rays that illuminate the country, city and the rest of the world. The crown also has seven rays, which mean seven seas and the same number of continents.
Currently, the observation deck in the crown of the statue on Liberty Island is closed for reconstruction, but after its completion, it will be possible to climb it by elevator.
