How the Statue of Liberty came to be. In which city is the Statue of Liberty located?

Where is the most famous symbol of the New World?

The full name of the Statue of Liberty is “Liberty Enlightening the World,” that is, “Liberty Illuminating the World.” This is the absolute champion among all symbols of the USA and the American continent in terms of mention and significance for pop culture. It was she who became the first and most significant object that hundreds of thousands of immigrants saw when sailing into New York Bay. Therefore, “Freedom” for Americans is immediately associated with big amount characters: this and new life and a rejection of everything old and yet something so blatantly neoclassical and European right in the center of a metropolis.

Exact location of the Statue of Liberty

The monument is located in North America, on the Atlantic coast in the largest city in the United States, New York.

More exact location: Liberty Island at the mouth of the Hudson River at 40.68 degrees North Latitude and 74.04 degrees West Longitude.

The place where the statue stands is picturesque and looks picturesque from many angles: a lonely and relatively small island in the middle of a bay with a strong current, surrounded by sparkling skyscrapers. All this in the heart of New York near Manhattan.

Statue of Liberty as a landmark

The history of the appearance of the Statue of Liberty is the history of the realization of the American pathos of the young republican people. It is symbolic that the sculpture symbolizes not only abstract freedom, but also its universality and universality. Its creators were inspired by the spirit of the European Enlightenment and belief in the power of industry and progress of the 19th century. Therefore, it is not surprising that the co-author of its creator, Frederic Bartholdi, was the same Gustave Eiffel who designed famous tower in Paris. Moreover, the copper for the coating was apparently taken from the Ural deposits, so the project turned out to be truly international and global.

Construction required incredible effort, since at that time the technical capabilities were much less. That is why the detailed design of the steel frame by Eiffel was required. A copper shell created by the sculptor Bartholdi is already attached to the frame. Delivery and installation themselves turned out to be a herculean task and required a lot of effort from both countries, France and the United States. Even creating a massive concrete pedestal on a small island took a long time and was fraught with difficulties.

The Statue of Liberty was gifted by the French government to the American people in 1876 on the centennial of the American Revolution. The entire structure is filled with symbolism: seven rays symbolize the number of continents, the torch is designed to illuminate the world, spreading the light of freedom, and in the left hand there is an image of the US Constitution, as the guarantor of these freedoms. The appearance of "Liberty" as an ancient Greek goddess is also an attempt to create continuity in the symbols of European history and to instill the tradition of neoclassicism in the New World.

With a total weight of 183 tons and a height of 93 meters, the Statue of Liberty seems like a large object even against the backdrop of skyscrapers, but in the 19th century it was simply amazing and instilled faith in the achievements of technology and industry.

O Construction period1876-1886 opening dateOctober 28, 1886 National monument withOctober 15, 1924 Included in NRHP withOctober 15, 1966 NYCL status withSeptember 14, 1976 Height93 ArchitectGustave Eiffel SculptorFrédéric Auguste Bartholdi Location AddressManhattan, Liberty Island Emporis SkyscraperPage Skyscraper Center Structurae Websitenps.gov/stli Audio, photo and video on Wikimedia Commons

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The sculpture was a gift from France for the 1876 World's Fair and the centenary of American independence. The statue holds a torch in its right hand and a tablet in its left. The inscription on the tablet reads “English. JULY IV MDCCLXXVI" (written in Roman numerals for the date "July 4, 1776"), this date is the day of the United States Declaration of Independence. “Freedom” stands with one foot on broken shackles.

Visitors walk 356 steps to the crown of the Statue of Liberty or 192 steps to the top of the pedestal. There are 25 windows in the crown, which symbolize earthly precious stones and heavenly rays that illuminate the world. The seven rays on the crown of the statue symbolize the seven seas and seven continents (western geographical tradition has exactly seven continents).

The total weight of copper used to cast the statue is 31 tons, and the total weight of its steel structure is 125 tons. The total weight of the concrete base is 27,000 tons. The thickness of the copper coating of the statue is 2.57 mm.

The height from the ground to the tip of the torch is 93 meters, including the base and pedestal. The height of the statue itself, from the top of the pedestal to the torch, is 46 meters.

The statue was constructed from thin sheets of copper hammered into wooden molds. The formed sheets were then installed on a steel frame.

The statue is usually open to visitors, usually arriving by ferry. The crown, accessible by stairs, offers expansive views of New York Harbor. The museum, located in the pedestal, houses an exhibition on the history of the statue. The museum can be reached by elevator.

The territory of Liberty Island was originally part of the State of New Jersey, was subsequently administered by New York, and is currently administered by the Federal Government. Until 1956, the island was called "Bedloe's Island". Bedloe's Island), although it was also called the “Island of Freedom” since the beginning of the 20th century.

New Colossus

In 1883, American poet Emma Lazarus wrote the sonnet “The New Colossus,” dedicated to the Statue of Liberty. 20 years later, in 1903, it was engraved on a bronze plate and mounted on the wall in the museum, located in the pedestal of the statue. The famous last lines of "Freedom":

“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

In the Russian translation by V. Lazaris:

“You, ancient lands,” she shouts, without opening her silent lips, “live in empty luxury, And give me from the bottomless depths of your outcasts, your downtrodden people, Send me the outcasts, the homeless, I will give them a candle at the golden door!”

In a translation closer to the text:

“Leave, O ancient lands, the praise of centuries to yourself!”

Calls silently. “Give me your tired people, All those who long to breathe freely, abandoned in need, From the close shores of the persecuted, the poor and the orphans.	So send them, homeless and exhausted, to me, I raise my torch at the golden gates!
Statue of Liberty in numbers	Sculpture parts
Meters	Height from ground to top of torch
93 m	Statue height
33.86 m	Hand length
5.00 m	Index finger length
2.44 m	Head from crown to chin
5.26 m	Face width
3.05 m	Eye length
Right arm length	12.80 m
Right arm thickness	3.66 m
Waist thickness	10.67 m
Mouth width	0.91 m
Sign height	7.19 m
Sign width	4.14 m
Plaque thickness	0.61 m
Height from ground to top of pedestal	46.94 m

Making a statue

The French sculptor Frédéric-Auguste-Bartholdi was commissioned to create the statue. It was intended as a gift for the centenary of the Declaration of Independence in 1876. According to one version, Bartholdi even had a French model: the beautiful, recently widowed Isabella Boyer, wife of Isaac Singer, creator and entrepreneur in the field of sewing machines.

The Statue of Liberty was originally planned to be installed in Port Said under the name The Light Of Asia, but the then Egyptian government decided that transporting the structure from France and installing it was too expensive for it.

By mutual agreement, America was to build the pedestal, and France was to create the statue and install it in the United States. However, there was a shortage of money on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. In France, charitable donations, along with various entertainment events and a lottery, raised 2.25 million francs. In the United States, theatrical performances, art exhibitions, auctions and boxing matches were held to raise funds.

Meanwhile, in France, Bartholdi needed the help of an engineer to solve the design issues associated with the construction of such a giant copper sculpture. Gustave Eiffel (the future creator of the Eiffel Tower) was commissioned to design a massive steel support and intermediate support frame that would allow the copper shell of the statue to move freely while maintaining an upright position. Eiffel handed over the detailed developments to his assistant, the experienced structural engineer Maurice Koechlin. Copper for the statue was purchased from existing stocks at the company's warehouses Société des métaux entrepreneur Eugene Secretan. Its origins have not been documented, but research in 1985 showed that it was mainly mined in Norway on the island of Karmøy. The legend about copper supplies from Russia was verified by enthusiasts, but was not confirmed. Besides, railways in Ufa and Nizhny Tagil construction was carried out later; Accordingly, the version of ore supplies cannot be taken seriously. It is also noteworthy that the concrete base under the statue is made of German cement. The Dickerhoff company won a tender to supply cement for the construction of the foundation of the Statue of Liberty in New York, which at that time was the largest concrete structure in the world.

The location for the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor, approved by an Act of Congress in 1877, was chosen by General William Sherman, taking into account the wishes of Bartholdi himself, on Bedloe's Island, where a star-shaped fort had stood since the beginning of the 19th century.

Fundraising for the pedestal proceeded slowly, and Joseph Pulitzer (of Pulitzer Prize fame) issued an appeal in his World newspaper to support fundraising for the project.

By August 1885, funding problems for the pedestal, designed by American architect Richard Morris Hunt, had been resolved and the first stone was laid on August 5. Construction was completed on April 22, 1886. Built into the massive masonry of the pedestal are two square lintels made of steel beams; they are connected by steel anchor beams that go upward to become part of the Eiffel (resembling a frame Eiffel Tower) the frame of the statue itself. Thus, the statue and the pedestal are one.

The statue was completed by the French in July 1884 and delivered to New York Harbor on June 17, 1885, aboard the French frigate Isere. For transportation, the statue was disassembled into 350 parts and packed into 214 boxes. (Her right hand with a torch, completed earlier, had already been exhibited at the World's Fair in Philadelphia and then in Madison Square in New York.) The statue was assembled on its new base in four months. Grand opening Statue of Liberty, which was attended by US President Grover Cleveland, took place on October 28, 1886 in the presence of thousands of spectators. As a French gift for the centenary of the American Revolution, it was ten years late.

The national monument, the Statue of Liberty, officially celebrated its centennial on October 28, 1986.

Statue as a cultural monument

The statue was placed on a granite pedestal inside Fort Wood, built for the War of 1812, whose walls are laid out in the shape of a star. The US Lighthouse Service was responsible for maintaining the statue until 1901. After 1901, this mission was entrusted to the War Department. By presidential proclamation of October 15, 1924, Fort Wood (and the statue on its grounds) was declared a national monument, the boundaries of which coincided with the boundaries of the fort.

On October 28, 1936, at the 50th anniversary of the unveiling of the statue, US President Franklin Roosevelt said: “Freedom and peace are living things. For them to continue to exist, each generation must protect them and put new life into them.”

In 1933, maintenance of the national monument was transferred to the Service national parks. On September 7, 1937, the area of the national monument was enlarged to cover all of Bedlow Island, which was renamed Liberty Island in 1956. On May 11, 1965, Ellis Island was also transferred to the National Park Service and became part of the Statue of Liberty National Memorial. In May 1982, President Ronald Reagan appointed Lee Iacocca to lead a private sector effort to restore the Statue of Liberty. The restoration raised $87 million through a partnership between the National Park Service and the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Corporation, the most successful public-private collaboration in history. American history. In 1984, at the beginning of work on its restoration, the Statue of Liberty was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. On July 5, the restored Statue of Liberty was reopened to visitors during Liberty Weekend, celebrating her centennial.

Statue and security

The staircase to the torch was closed for safety reasons in 1916. In 1986, the statue was restored, and its damaged and corroded torch was moved to the main entrance and replaced with a new one, plated in 24-karat gold.

On September 11, 2001, as a result of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, the statue and island were closed to the public. The island was opened in late 2001, while the pedestal was opened on August 4, 2004. The statue itself, including the crown, remained covered. The inner frame of the statue could be viewed through the transparent ceiling of the pedestal. Both there and on observation deck it was possible to get on the pedestal only with organized excursion. Access to the island itself was accompanied by new restrictions and security checks. May 17, 2009 US President Barack Obama and Secretary of State of the Interior

Jeroen van Luin / flickr.com Alan Strakey / flickr.com Liberty Island, New York, USA (Delta Whiskey / flickr.com) Statue of Liberty, New York, USA (Mobilus In Mobili / flickr.com) Andy Atzert / flickr .com Anthony Quintano / flickr.com Liberty Island, New York (Phil Dolby / flickr.com) Anthony Quintano / flickr.com Chris Tse / flickr.com sylvain.collet / flickr.com Plaque in the left hand of the Statue of Liberty with the date of adoption Declaration of Independence (Pete Bellis / flickr.com) ali sinan köksal / flickr.com Jon Dawson / flickr.com Tom Thai / flickr.com Wilhelm Joys Andersen / flickr.com David Ohmer / flickr.com Justin / flickr.com Torch of the Statue of Liberty (Mike Clarke / flickr.com) Top view of the Statue of Liberty (StatueLibrtyNPS / flickr.com)

The Statue of Liberty is the main symbol of the American people, the idea of freedom. In addition, this is another symbol of the New York metropolis.

The majestic structure in America is located on Liberty Island. Approximately 3 thousand meters in southwest direction from the south of Manhattan Island in New York. Until 56 of the last century, the island in the USA, which is now decorated with the Statue of Liberty, was called Bedlow. Although at the beginning of the century it was already nicknamed “Freedom Island”.

In the right hand of the statue, which is 12.8 meters long, there is a burning torch. On the left is a sign, the length of which is 4.14 meters. The date of the Declaration of Independence of the United States from Great Britain is written on it.

Broken shackles can be seen under the statue’s feet, which in turn symbolizes liberation. On the head, the distance from the chin to the back of the head is 5.26 meters. The length of the nose is 1.37 meters.

7 Prong Crown of the Statue of Liberty, New York (sylvain.collet / flickr.com)

The statue is crowned with a crown of 7 teeth. This is a symbol of seven seas and at the same time seven continents. According to geography globe only seven continents: Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Australia, Antarctica. Seven seas mean the same number of parts of the World Ocean. There are also windows in the crown that sparkle like diamonds in the sun and decorate it.

Another fact is that visitors usually walk 192 steps to get to the podium. And in order to climb to the very top, you need to overcome 356 steps. The size of the statue is quite impressive. The total height of the structure is 93 meters. And the height of the statue itself is 46 meters.

To visit this attraction, you need to get to the island by ferry. Usually they go to the very top, from where you can admire the stunning panorama of New York and its harbor, which defies description.

Who gave the Statue of Liberty to America?

Despite the fact that the Statue of Liberty is a symbol of America and New York, it was not made in the States. Where did she come from then?

Plaque in the left hand of the Statue of Liberty with the date of the Declaration of Independence (Pete Bellis / flickr.com)

The attraction is interesting because it is a gift from France to the States on Independence Day. The statue was designed and made by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, a French sculptor. The main idea is to give a gift to America on the centennial of the Declaration of Independence.

The widow Isabella Boyer posed for the statue. An interesting fact is that this was the wife of Singer, an American creator of a famous brand of sewing machines. This lady was not the last person in the capital and at the same time a beautiful woman.

An interesting fact is that the Statue of Liberty was originally planned to be erected not in New York, but in Port Said - in Egypt. But the Egyptian authorities considered this project too expensive. Therefore, it was decided to transfer the structure to the USA, where it will rise on the island of the New York metropolis.

Design and preparation for construction

The US authorities undertook to build the pedestal, and the statue itself was made in Paris. The French undertook to install it on site.

View from above of the Article of Liberty, New York, USA (Phil Dolby / flickr.com)

In order to raise the necessary amount for the implementation of the project, special measures were taken in both countries. In France, a certain amount of money was collected thanks to lotteries, entertainment events, donations from citizens. In America, in order to raise the required amount, theatrical performances, artist exhibitions, fights in the ring and auctions were held.

In France, the author of the structure, Bartholdi, needed a technically educated person to construct the statue. Another interesting fact, this person was destined to become the architect Gustave Eiffel, whose most famous work in the future was the Eiffel Tower. He needed to design a steel support for the structure and a frame to support the statue with great height in a vertical position.

For the statue high altitude it was necessary great amount copper There are different interesting versions about the place of its extraction. For example, in Russia, in Nizhny Tagil. But the results of the study revealed that the copper was from Norway. The concrete base on which the Statue of Liberty stands required large amounts of cement. A German concrete production company undertook to supply it.

The formation of the amount necessary for construction did not proceed quickly enough. Joseph Pulitzer even called on American citizens to support construction. His speeches significantly influenced the speed of implementation of the plan. The pedestal was designed by an architect named Richard Morris Hunt.

Erecting the Statue of Liberty

Construction of the massive foundation near Manhattan in New York began on August 5, 1885. It took a little less than 9 months to build, and work ended on April 22, 1886. Steel lintels are inserted inside the stone pedestal. The metal beams connected to them are directed upward to form an Eiffel frame inside the structure itself.

France made its gift in the summer. The length of the entire structure was almost 34 meters. For transportation, it was disassembled into 350 fragments, which were distributed among many boxes. They were transported to the USA on the ship Isere. After 11 months, the Statue of Liberty appeared near New York, where it was erected in 4 months of work.

The Statue of Liberty was officially unveiled in 1886 in New York. The celebration was attended by Grover Cleveland, then ruling in the United States, and more than a thousand residents and guests of the city.

History of the Statue of Liberty of the United States of America

The Statue of Liberty near New York City sits on its massive granite base inside Fort Wood, built for defensive purposes in the early 19th century. Until the beginning of the 20th century, the lighthouse service was responsible for the operation of the facility. The US military then took over this role.

On October 15, by decree of the US government, Fort Wood, together with the Statue of Liberty, acquired the status of a monument to the American nation in the United States.

“a symbol of New York and the USA” Jon Dawson / flickr.com

In 1933, the US National Park Service became responsible for the Statue of Liberty. In 1937, the size of the monument grew and began to coincide with the outline of Bedloe. In 1956, the name of the island changed, it acquired a new name - Freedom Island.

In 1982, under the influence of the head of the country, Reagan, a project was created to restore the Statue of Liberty. As a result, an amount of $87 million was collected. In 1984, restoration work began, during which the old torch was replaced with a modern one with gold plating. Another interesting fact is that 24-karat gold was used for plating. In 1986, the renovated Statue of Liberty welcomed everyone to visit it on the occasion of its anniversary.

In early September 2001, due to the tragedy in the Twin Towers, the island, along with the Statue of Liberty, became inaccessible to those wishing to visit it. It was only in 2004 that the Statue of Liberty was again open to the public, but access to the top was still closed.

On July 4, 2009, by order of US President Obama, it became possible to visit the top of the Statue of Liberty. In 2011, the elevators with stairs were updated in honor of the next anniversary. In addition, for the convenience of visitors, an escalator was installed here. In 2012, the Statue of Liberty became fully accessible to New Yorkers and visitors to the United States.

The Statue of Liberty is one of the symbols of America and New York. It has been attracting tourists for many years and is a cult place among Americans.

Greetings to the 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 take long - the sorted list of 8 wonders of the world stood for too long without its candidate. Today we are reviewing the Statue of Liberty in the USA. A symbol in the monument to democracy and freedom of all the United States of America.

Statue of Liberty (at English language Statue of Liberty), also known as “Liberty Enlightening the World” or “Lady Liberty”, is a symbol of freedom and democracy in the United States, a giant colossal statue made in the style of neoclassicism. 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. In her right hand she holds a torch, in her left - a tablet. The inscription on the tablet shows the date of adoption of the US Declaration of Independence (Roman numerals - JULY IV MDCCLXXVI, July 4, 1776 in our style). One naga steps on the broken shackles.

Tablet of the Statue of Liberty

To climb to the top of the statue and its crown you need to walk 356 steps. You can shorten this excursion by climbing only the pedestal - 192 steps. Except spiral staircase Inside the structure, visitors can also use an elevator.

View inside

There is a crown on the head of the statue. Its 25 windows symbolize “earthly precious stones and heavenly rays illuminating the world” - which exact 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 the Western world it is generally accepted that there are 7 continents. They don’t say whether this symbolism was invented before or after the creation of the statue, but the general idea of the crown is a little strange.

The total height of the statue is 93 meters, the net height of the statue without a 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 molds. They were used to create the figure of the statue itself. To secure the entire structure inside the statue, there is a steel frame embedded in concrete.

Now from the very high point The crown statue, accessible to tourists, offers a magnificent view of New York Harbor. The pedestal houses a history museum, and Liberty Island itself (Liberty Island, or until 1956 Bedlow Island) is also recognized as a national monument.

View from the crown

Statue of Liberty in stark numbers

Sculpture parts
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
Sign height
Sign width
Plaque 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 centennial of American independence. And here’s how it all went from the idea to the position modern days– read below.

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

The existing policy of Napoleon III did not allow such a project to be undertaken. Therefore, progress resumed only at the end of the 1860s. The sculptor Bartholdi had ideas for creating a majestic colossus before. The project was originally proposed for Egypt, but budgets did not support the transportation and installation of the statue. The 100th anniversary of independence in the United States was another excellent occasion to create a high-level project.

The project has begun to move. According to the agreement, France was to create the sculpture itself, and the United States was to create 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 the first showings to the opening

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. They charged 50 cents to visit this impressive structure (not bad money in those days). The hand itself made a huge impression on visitors to 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 finance. To solve this problem, charitable donations, entertainment events, lotteries, theatrical performances, exhibitions, auctions, and boxing fights were held.

The publisher of the World newspaper, Joseph Pulitzer, played a special role in fundraising. A man who has made a career from a newspaper delivery man, a journalist of small articles to the owner of a publishing house - surely he should not understand the current thoughts of the people. Campaigning to raise funds for a new material embodiment of the American idea and dream did not last long - after only 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.

Working in the workshop

While the statue was being made, by an act of Congress in 1877, General William Sherman approved the location of the future statue - Bedloe's Island. The process of choosing a location was not complete without the sculptor’s recommendations. The location 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 took place.

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 completed. Additionally, 2 lintels made of steel beams were built into the masonry, which are connected by anchor beams that go upward as part of the steel frame of the statue. Thus, the pedestal and the statue are one whole, a solid, massive, strong structure.

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 into 214 boxes. Note that the assembly process itself took another 4 months. This is a real designer for great people.

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

“We will always remember that Freedom chose this place as its home, and its altar will never be covered by oblivion.”

After opening

Previously, Fort Wood was built at the location of the statue (built for the War of 1812, of course, not with Napoleon), shaped like a five-pointed star. In the center of it, on a pedestal, the 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 area of the national monument.

Early Fort Wood slums

Even later they also included neighboring island Ellis, where at first the immigration center was located, where all new arrivals to the country were registered.

View from the ship upon arrival in New York

In 1982, President Ronald Reagan plans to restore the monument, slightly tired from time to time. The event raises $87 million. Immediately at the beginning of restoration in 1984, the statue was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. On July 5, 1986, it again became open to visitors.

Restoration of the Statue

Back in 1916, the staircase to the torch was closed for safety reasons. During the restoration in 1986, the torch was replaced with a new one, plated with 24-karat gold. The old torch was placed near the pedestal. But still, the exit to the crown remains the most accessible point for the visitor.

Old torch

Everyone remembers September 11, 2001 - the day of the terrorist attack on 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 of America. Since then, access to the statue has been made more difficult. It was possible to get to the island from the end of 2001, to the pedestal only from August 4, 2004. From 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. Full access up to the crown has now been resumed.

The main symbol of American independence, a friendly gift in honor of an important event, a giant figure of a woman with a torch and a tablet - the Statue of Liberty. Numerous photos of one of the main American monuments are printed on all tourist brochures, dishes, clothing, and even tattooed. UNESCO added the landmark to the list of world heritage sites in 1984.

In the left hand of the monument is a tile on which the date is engraved - July 4, 1776. On this day the most important document for the country - the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America. England's colonies united in North America and declared autonomy from Great Britain. The day of birth is forever imprinted on the plaque. democratic republic, so near the left foot of the figure lie the remains of slave shackles. The head of the landmark is decorated with a crown with seven teeth. Some sources mention that sharp thorns represent parts of the world, although there are six of them.

Where is the Statue of Liberty

You can ask anyone where the Statue of Liberty is located, and everyone will say: “Of course in America!”, and this is true, but only partly. The symbol of democracy is indeed located in the USA on Liberty Island, 3 km from Manhattan in the southwest of New York state. However, Lady Liberty was born in Europe and is a true Frenchwoman. The island where the steel woman was erected originally belonged to the state of New Jersey. Until 1956, the territory was called Bedlow Island, although at the beginning of the last century many referred to this place as Liberty Island.

How to get there

The public ferry Statue Cruises ferries goes to Liberty Island. First you need to come to Manhattan, where there is a greater choice of transport:

metro. Bowling Green station lines 4 and 5, South Ferry station line 1 and Whitehall St station. - line N, R. You need to go to Battery Park in Manhattan;
bus. The M5, M15 and M20 go to South Ferry. From the stop you need to walk to the ferry;
ferry. Specialized cruise ferries sail to the Statue of Liberty every day (except December 25), departing from the Battery Piers in Manhattan and from Liberty State Park in Jersey City. The first ferry leaves for Liberty Island at 9.30 and the last at 15.30. The interval between departures can be about an hour. The ferry route passes through Ellis Island, where the Immigration Museum is located. Private vessels are not allowed to enter the pier;
boat Every hour you can sail to the attraction by boat. excursion boat, the cost of which is $25. The boat runs every 15-20 minutes.

Since in most cases tourists get to Liberty Island by ferry, the entrance to national park free Ticket to ride in this public transport The entrance to the island itself pays for itself. The fare for an adult and a teenager from 13 years old is $18.50, a child 4-12 years old is $9, an elderly person (from 62 years old) is $14, children under 4 years old free entrance. A ferry ticket can also be booked in advance - online on the official website of the carrier company, since there are always plenty of tourists and those wishing to visit the island.

“Leave, O ancient lands, the praise of centuries to yourself!”

Despite the fact that the symbol of America has not been the highest in the country for a long time, its dimensions are impressive. To the top attraction leads 356 steps, and if you climb only to the pedestal, you will have to cope with 192 steps. This climb is not for everyone, so you can use the elevator.

The highlight of the figure is the headdress. The item has 25 windows, which represent “heavenly rays”, and official name figures - Freedom illuminating the world. The construction of the crown required 31 tons of copper, 125 tons of steel and 27,000 tons of concrete. This place in the monument is the highest position from which a breathtaking panorama of New York Harbor is visible. Placed on the pedestal historical Museum, and Liberty Island is a national monument.

This is interesting. Traveling around the world means seeing many amazing things. Today there are many structures in the world that are taller, heavier and older than the American symbol, but the Statue of Liberty in New York manages to impress even an avid tourist. The concrete platform on which the steel figure is located has long held the title of the largest concrete structure and the largest base. Although this achievement was soon surpassed, the Statue of Liberty is still associated with great things.

The dimensions that interest many visitors to the Liberty Island attraction are described below:

the height of the Statue of Liberty from the ground to the top of the torch is 93 m;
the height of the figure itself is 33.86 m;
total weight of the structure - 125 tons;
the length of the statue’s nose is 1.37 m;
There are about 100 copies of the legendary Statue of Liberty all over the world;
index finger length - 2.44 m;
head size from chin to crown - 5.26 m;
the thickness of the statue’s waist is 10.67 m;
height of the tablet - 7.19 m;
height from the ground to the top of the pedestal - 46.94 m.

Everyone has their own freedom

The American Independence Monument can be seen in many countries. There are about a hundred different copies of the Statue of Liberty from New York in the world. Most of the doubles are located in the USA and on historical homeland- in France - as many as 6 options. You can see the figure in the gardens of Luxembourg, in the Museum of Arts and Crafts, on the Alma Bridge, in the town of Colmar, in the eastern part of Swan Island and in the D'Orsay Gallery.

There is a personal Statue of Liberty in Tokyo and in the capital of Argentina - Buenos Aires. The most gambling example can be found at the New York Las Vegas hotel-casino in Las Vegas. The world's first and only seated Statue of Liberty is located in Lviv. The attraction is located on the roof of the Museum of Ethnography and Arts and Crafts of the Institute of Ethnic Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.

Making a statue

The history of the construction of the national treasure is interesting for several reasons: parts of the monument were made in several countries, funds were collected over many years, and elements of the figure were exhibited at world exhibitions. Author of the Statue of Liberty - sculptor Frederic Bartholdi. There are two versions of who posed for the erection of the figure: the sculptor's mother Charlotte and the widow Isabella Boyer, who was married to the famous creator of sewing machines, Isaac Singer.

Location

The sculptor himself decided which city to choose to install the monument. There were a lot of options, but Bartholdi liked Bedlow Island near New York. After the statue was placed here, the territory began to be called Liberty Island, but officially this area became Liberty Island only in the mid-20th century.

Financial issue

France and the United States entered into an agreement, which stated that the first would build the monument and deliver it to America, and the second would build the pedestal and pay for the installation. Almost immediately, the countries realized that this matter was too expensive for both sides. It was decided to hold events to raise funds for the construction. Funds were channeled from charitable contributions, concerts, and raffles. In almost a year, France was lucky to accumulate more than 2 million francs.

workers in Bartholdi's workshop in Paris assemble the first model of the statue, the left arm and quarter-size head. Winter 1882.

In 1883, architect Richard Hunt prepared plans for the pedestal, but due to lack of finance, construction was about to cease. However, here the famous American publisher Joseph Pulitzer came into play. The journalist advised printing the names of the people who provided funds for the construction. He also wrote articles in which he harshly criticized the middle and upper classes for paying little attention to the development of their country. Pulitzer's work was so undeniable that within a short period of time more than 100 thousand dollars were collected. So, in August 1885, construction of the pedestal began, for which cement was brought from Germany. Construction lasted almost 8 months.

Parisian building

The Statue of Liberty rises above the rooftops of Paris

The French were more active - by the end of 1881 the monument was almost completed. Now it was necessary to connect the parts of the figure. The main entrance to the structure was placed in the front, the emergency exit was in the heel of the left foot. An observation platform was built in the crown, and a staircase was led up to the torch itself. There were plans to connect gas, but in the meantime Thomas Edison invented electricity, so they chose the latter option.

In 1884, work in France came to an end. The statue was assembled and presented at a festive event, then dismantled for transportation across the ocean. Since the pedestal for the monument was not yet completed, the figure traveled around the cities in a dismantled form.

The long-awaited “meeting” of the Statue of Liberty and the pedestal

By the time the gift arrived at Bedlow Island in New York, the object had visited many cities. According to Wikipedia, the head of the statue, 5.26 m high, was exhibited in Paris, Madison Square and Philadelphia, where anyone could admire an element of the legendary statue.

It took 214 boxes to transport the figure across the ocean, and the monument was divided into three hundred parts. After arriving at the destination, it took almost four months to assemble the monument. The statue is connected to the pedestal by two steel elements. The parts are built into anchor beams attached to the figure's frame.

The publication

The monument was assembled in April 1886, but due to a couple of organizational issues, it was only in mid-autumn that it happened long-awaited opening. The French gift for the centennial celebration of the American Revolution was “late” by a dozen years. For a long time The Statue of Liberty served not only as a symbol of democracy, but also as a beacon who successfully performed his duties.

Lifehack for tourists. You can see the national monument for free, although only from the outside. A ferry runs from Ferry Landing to Staten Island and offers excellent views of the Statue of Liberty. You can hit the road once every half hour. On this spacious ferry, Staten Island residents go to work in Manhattan, and tourists look at the American landmark from the sea.

Architectural style

Since the stone is difficult to process and difficult to transport, and even across the ocean, they decided to build the Statue of Liberty empty inside, and cover the steel body with sheets of copper. The design was developed by Gustave Eiffel, and the sheathing was entrusted to Gautier - the sheets were made in wooden forms, and the copper was bought in Russia.

inside the torch

Today the Statue of Liberty is green, although when installed, the figure shone bright orange. These changes occurred due to natural phenomenon- over several decades, copper sheets oxidized and turned green. What the statue originally looked like is only evidenced by memories in written form. The monument is dressed in the mantle of ancient times, the torch of Enlightenment is placed in the right hand, a tablet with the cherished date of the establishment of the Act of Sovereignty is placed in the left hand, and crushed slave chains lie at the feet. Until now, the monument looks solemn and majestic.

On the day of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, the Statue of Liberty was immediately closed to tourists. From that moment on, access to the symbol became more difficult. It was possible to get to Liberty Island at the end of 2001, and to the pedestal only in 2004. President Barack Obama allowed entry into the statue in 2009, but the daily number of visitors remains limited;
in 2011-2012, new stairs and elevators were installed in the structure. On this moment full access to the top of the crown has been restored;
the appearance of the Statue of Liberty is similar to the ancient Greek goddess Hecate, the patroness of darkness and the underworld;
Like all tall structures, the monument can sway. At the top of the statue the sensations are not the same as at the tops of skyscrapers, but in the crown there are displacements of up to 7.62 mm, and the torch swings up to 12.7 cm;
Unlike the French, the Americans were in no hurry to give up their money. Few people were impressed by the Statue of Liberty, and Rockefeller even declared that the idea was real nonsense;
The Statue of Liberty has long been not the tallest building even in New York, but some of its parameters are still impressive - for example, the nail on the little finger of the monument weighs about one and a half kilograms.

Disappearance of the statue

The famous inventor of magic tricks, Jim Steinmeyer, came up with a trick that impressed the entire planet. The disappearance of the Statue of Liberty occurred in 1983, and the magic trick was performed by David Copperfield. Against the night sky, the Statue of Liberty is brightly lit and a blip flashes on the radar. In front of the figure are two towers with a cover that lowers. The Statue of Liberty momentarily disappeared from its pedestal and radar. When the cover rises and falls again, it is clear that the monument is in place. Over the course of several decades, the trick of the famous illusionist has become overgrown with theories, but there is still no single answer to how such a trick was accomplished. Disputes on the topic “how Copperfield managed to hide such a huge object” continue today, as new theories appear. Below you can watch a video of the disappearance of the Statue of Liberty and try to unravel one of the greatest tricks.

Opening hours

The Statue of Liberty and Liberty Island National Park are open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. In reviews, tourists write that it is better to arrive early, when the fog clears in the bay. You need to be prepared to inspect things several times, like at the airport.

Ticket prices

If you get to Liberty Island by ferry, admission is free. The fare for an adult is $13, and for children - $5. Entrance ticket costs $9 for children and $18 for adult tourists. Price included medical insurance if suddenly an accident occurs. At the entrance, all visitors are given free audio guides that will tell the story of the creation of the monument. A nice bonus for tourists - admission ticket The Statue of Liberty ticket is valid for visiting the Empire State Building.

What to see nearby

New York has plenty of attractions that every American traveler should see. Here is a list of some buildings that represent The largest city USA:

The Brooklyn Bridge. The famous New York ferry, which is located above the East River. The bridge connects the largest areas of the city - Manhattan and Brooklyn. Until 1903, the structure was the longest in the world - almost 2 km. The Brooklyn Bridge is the first suspended structure to be constructed using steel cables. The length of the main passage over the East River is about 487 m.
Empire State Building. Skyscraper in Manhattan on Fifth Avenue with 103 floors. The entire area is occupied by offices. From 1931 to 1970, the building was the tallest in the world. The house is named after New York, which is called the “Empire State”.
Charging bull. In the northern part of Bowling Green Park there is a bronze sculpture, the brainchild of an American sculptor of Italian origin Arturo Di Modica - Charging Bull, weighing 3200 kg. The height of the monument is 3.4 m, and the length is 4.9 m. The figure of an angry buffalo, ready to fight. The statue represents development and vigor in the financial sector. This is one of the most popular sculptures in New York and Wall Street - it is estimated that almost a thousand tourists visit the Financial District every day to view the Charging Bull.

There are many in New York interesting places that impress millions of tourists - the Statue of Liberty, the Rockefeller Center, Central Park, Bronx Zoo. America's largest state has something to see for every taste. What attraction in New York would you like to see?

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