Washington Statue of Liberty. Statue of Liberty


Statue of Liberty(English Statue of Liberty, full name - Liberty Enlightening the World) - one of the most famous sculptures in the USA and in the world, often called the “symbol of New York and the USA”, “symbol of freedom and democracy ", "Lady Liberty". This is a gift from French citizens for the centennial of the American Revolution.

Location

The Statue of Liberty is located in New York, on Liberty Island, which is located three kilometers southwest of the coast of Manhattan. The Statue of Liberty, a gift from the French for the 100th anniversary of the American Revolution, was made in France in 1884 and transported to America in parts. The opening of the statue took place on October 28, 1886, ten years late to the originally planned date.

Description of the object


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

On top of the steel skeleton is covered with copper sheets, masterfully hammered in wooden forms, with a thickness of only 2.37 mm and a total weight of 31 tons. 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 the acquisition of freedom. The plaque in the left hand of the Statue of Liberty indicates the date of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776.

The cement base of the Statue of Liberty weighs 27 thousand tons. To get to the top of the pedestal, you need to climb 192 steps. Inside the pedestal there is a museum, which can be reached by elevator.



History of origin


The French sculptor Frederic 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, the 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.

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 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 (future creator Eiffel Tower) was commissioned to design a massive steel support and intermediate support frame that would allow the statue's copper shell to move freely while maintaining an upright position. Eiffel handed over the detailed developments to his assistant, the experienced structural engineer Maurice Koechlin. The copper for the statue was purchased from existing stocks in the warehouses of the Société des métaux company of 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, problems with financing 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. Two square lintels made of steel beams are built into the massive masonry of the pedestal; they are connected by steel anchor beams that extend upward to become part of the Eiffel 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 in 1876, and then in Madison Square in New York.) The statue was assembled on its new base in four months. Grand opening Statue of Liberty, at which US President Grover Cleveland spoke, 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.


Operating mode

Visiting hours for Liberty Island and Ellis Island are from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (with extended hours during the summer months)

How to get there

The entrance to Liberty Island Park itself is free, but tourists will have to fork out a little for the ferry. Ferries go to this island, and at the same time to Ellis Island, from two piers - from Battery Park in Manhattan and from Liberty State Park in Jersey City on the other side one of New York Bay. Moreover, upon boarding, passengers undergo a thorough search, similar to what is available at airports around the world.


From France with love

Despite the fact that the Statue of Liberty is an unofficial symbol of the United States, its homeland is France, which is under America laughed at the war with Great Britain. The monument was conceived as a gift frommany freedom-loving peopleto another, but also to anotherThe Ricans contributed to the creation of the masterpiece - the pedestal of the statue was made in the USA.

Loubetter than pObetter than ever

The statue could well have ended up in Egypt instead of New York, because the author of the monument had such plans. It was supposed to be installed as a gig nt lighthouse at the entrance to the Suez Canal in the city of Port Said. Butachieve agreement on this project and failed.

Creative duet

The author of the Statue of Liberty is the architect Frederic Bartholdi. But another famous Frenchman, engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, creator of the Eiffel Tower, also worked on the monument. Bartholdi was responsible for the appearance of the statue, while Eiffel designed the iron shell and frame.
Travel to New York

In order to transport the statue across the ocean, the sculpture was dismantled into 350 parts and loaded onto the French frigate Isere. The complexity of the operation also lay in the fact that the weight of the statue exceeded 150 tons. Already on American soil, its assembly and installation lasted four months.

Crown, stones and rays

The prototype of Liberty, according to art historians, was the famous French model Isabella Boyer, the widow of Isaac Singer, the founder of a sewing machine manufacturing company. Frederic Bartholdi infuses Lady Liberty with iconic details. Thus, 25 viewing windows located in the crown of the statue symbolize precious stones that are mined in the United States. And the seven rays emanating from the crown are a symbol of the seven seas and seven continents, that is, a sign of the widespread spread of freedom.

Bird's-eye

To climb to the observation deck located inside the crown, visitors will have to climb 192 steps to the top of the pedestal and 356 steps inside the monument. The reward for your efforts will be a magnificent view of the New York coastline. The total height of the statue - from the base to the top of the torch - is 93 m.

Kind with healthy

The Statue of Liberty turned out to be an excellent beacon for ships heading to Manhattan past Bedlow's Island, on which the monument stands. Today, the need for a lighthouse has disappeared, but the Statue of Liberty does not stand idle: a historical museum is located inside it.
American dream without borders

Replicas of the Statue of Liberty can be found in many cities around the world. Only in Paris are four smaller replicas of the famous Lady Liberty installed. Tokyo, Las Vegas, Lvov, Uzhgorod, Dnepropetrovsk have their own Freedom.

Time is money

Entrance to the observation deck, as well as visiting the museum located inside the statue, is free. But you will have to pay a small amount to take the ferry to Bedloe Island. You will have to spend not only money, but also time: visitors are carefully searched. Precautions were increased after September 11: for example, the crown of the Statue of Liberty became open to the public only in 2009.


The color of history

The Statue of Liberty often appears in various films. The creators of Titanic also filmed one episode against the backdrop of the famous sculpture - and made a historical mistake. In the film, the statue has a familiar greenish tint. But in 1912, during the events of the film drama, the copper of the monument had not yet oxidized and was of a noble metallic color.

Features of the Statue of Liberty

Features of the Statue of Liberty Today the Statue of Liberty is one of the national symbols USA. Rising at the mouth of the Hudson at the entrance to New York Harbor, a woman in graceful, flowing robes carrying a torch personifies the freedom and opportunity of the country. On her head she wears a crown with seven teeth, representing the seven seas and seven continents. At the woman's feet are the torn shackles of tyranny. In the woman's left hand she holds a slab with the date of the American Declaration of Independence inscribed on it - July 4, 1776. The statue was made from thin sheets of copper hammered into wooden molds. The formed sheets were then installed on a steel frame. The height of the Statue (by the way, it was originally called more pathetically - “Freedom, bringing light to the world”) is 46 meters, so, if we also take into account the 47-meter pedestal, the top of the torch is at a height of 93 meters above the ground. The weight of the monument is 205 tons. The length of the right hand, in which the torch is held, is 12.8 meters, with the index finger alone having a length of 2.4 meters, the width of the mouth is 91 centimeters. A spiral staircase inside the statue leads tourists to the top. The statue is usually open to visitors, who usually arrive by ferry. The crown, accessible by stairs, offers expansive views of New York Harbor. In 1972, the Museum of the Settlement of America was opened inside the Statue itself, which can be reached by a special elevator. The entire history of the country is presented here: from the ancestors - the Indians who inhabited the then unknown continent, and right up to the mass migration in the present century. Opinions about the Statue of Liberty are completely contradictory. Nothing like this had been seen in America before the construction of this sculpture. Connoisseurs noted the high technique of execution, the clarity of proportions and the grace of lines. But opponents of those who recognized the Freedom Monument as the eighth wonder of the world noted that the symbol of Freedom in the form of a statue was interpreted too coldly and dispassionately. It is no coincidence that the epithet appeared that Freedom is “blind”, and greatness is conveyed only by large sizes. However, evil tongues are not a hindrance to Freedom. All over the world, the Statue is considered a symbol of the United States, embodying the democratic principles of which this country is so proud.

Conclusion

The history of the Statue of Liberty and the island where where she stands -this is a story of change. The statue wouldla placed on grathread pedestal inside Fort Wood, built for the war 1812 , the walls of which are laid out in the shape of a star. The U.S. Lighthouse Service was responsible for maintaining the statue until 1901. After 1901, this mission was assigned 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.

October 28, 1936, at the 50th anniversary of the statue's unveiling, 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 included in the List World Heritage UNESCO. On July 5, 1986, the restored Statue of Liberty was reopened to the public during Liberty Weekend celebrating her centennial.

The Statue of Liberty has been one of the symbols of the United States for more than a century. But many ideas about it are incorrect, and some very little is known. Let's find out more about this unusual monument.

First of all, we note that it is officially called differently - “Freedom Illuminating the World.” The sculpture is located on island of the same name three kilometers southwest of Manhattan. For a long time it was called Bellow Island. The monument holds in its right hand a torch (which, as it were, “illuminates” the world), and in its left hand a tablet with the date of the US Declaration of Independence, written in Latin numerals. One of the legs of the “Illuminator” tramples torn shackles.

The seven rays in the crown crowning the statue symbolically represent the seas and continents. And yet, what is the Statue of Liberty in the USA made of? It would seem that it should be steel or stone, judging by the perception.

However, not all so simple. There is steel there - 125 tons. The sculptors also used 31 tons of copper, which covers it with a layer of just over two and a half millimeters. However, the numbers for both steel and copper simply pale in comparison to the concrete base, which reaches twenty-seven thousand tons. Thin copper sheets are mounted on top of a steel frame. Together with the foundation and pedestal, the height to the top of the torch reaches ninety-three meters.

Where was the Statue of Liberty made?

The monument symbolizing the United States was not actually made in America or even in the Western Hemisphere!

The author of the sculpture is the Frenchman Frederic Auguste Bartholdi. The idea was to present it as a gift for the centennial anniversary of the United States. It’s interesting that they were going to install it in Port Said, Egypt, and call it “The Light of Asia.” However, the Cairo government decided not to spend money on installation and transportation.

When France and America entered into an agreement, it was assumed that they would make, respectively, sculpture and installation at the expense of Paris, and the pedestal at the expense of Washington. But material difficulties that arose on both sides of the ocean slowed things down.

What material was used for production?

It seems that we already know the answer to this question. But... let's not rush. The copper for that very statue was either mined in Bashkiria or smelted in Nizhny Tagil. The pedestal underneath is made of German cement.

However, that's not all! In addition to the sculpture itself, there are many copies of it. There are four of them in Paris alone; gilded version with a lantern instead of a torch in Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer. There are many other versions - for example, in one of the Las Vegas casinos, in Japan, the broken head of the once existing “freedom” in the Tretyakov Gallery, in Dnepropetrovsk, Lvov, Budapest, Riga.

After the tragedy of September 11, the original Statue of Liberty was closed to the public. Currently, it is available to everyone, but subject to thorough searches similar to those carried out in international airports. Consequently, the symbol of the USA is one of the safest sites in the world for tourists.

Was a joint work of France and the United States, built to commemorate the long friendship between the peoples of these two countries. French sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi created the statue itself from sheets of hammered copper, while Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel, the man who would go on to create the famous Eiffel Tower, designed the steel structure of the statue.

It was transferred by the French to the United States and installed on an American-designed pedestal on small island in Upper New York Bay, now known as Liberty Island, and was presented by President Grover Cleveland in 1886. Over the years, the statue has watched as millions of immigrants arrived in America through nearby Ellis Island. In 1986, the statue was extensively reconstructed in honor of the centenary of its discovery. Today, the Statue of Liberty remains an enduring symbol of freedom and democracy, and one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world.

Origin of the Statue of Liberty

Around 1865, as the American Civil War neared its end, French historian Edouard de Laboulaye proposed that France create a statue to give to the United States to celebrate that national success in creating a viable democracy. Sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, known for large-scale sculptures, was given the assignment; the goal was to create the sculpture in time for the centennial of the Declaration of Independence in 1876. The project would be a joint one between the two countries - the French would be responsible for the statue, while the Americans would build the pedestal on which it would stand - and symbolize the friendship between their peoples.

Due to the need to raise funds for the statue, work on the sculpture did not begin until 1875. Bartholdi's large creation was entitled "The Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World" and depicted a woman holding a torch in her raised right hand and a plaque in her left, engraved with "July 4, 1776," the date of the Declaration of Independence. Bartholdi was said to have modeled the woman's face after his mother, hammering together large sheets of copper to create the statue's "skin" (using a technique called repousse).

To create a skeleton that would contain the skin, he turned to Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel, designer of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Together with Eugene-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc, Eiffel built the skeleton from an iron support and steel, which allowed the copper skin to move freely, a necessary condition in the strong winds of the New York Harbor area.

Statue of Liberty: Assembly and Dedication

While work on the statue continued in France, fundraising efforts for the pedestal continued in the United States, including competitions, performances, and exhibitions. Towards the end, the owner and editor-in-chief of the New York World, Joseph Pulitzer, raised the last necessary funds through his campaign. Designed by American architect Richard Morris Hunt, the statue's pedestal was built in the courtyard of Fort Wood, a fortress built for the War of 1812, located on Bedloe Island at the southern tip of Manhattan in Upper New York Bay.

In 1885, Bartholdi completed the statue, which was disassembled, packed in over 200 crates, and shipped to New York aboard the French frigate Isère. Over the next four months, workers assembled the statue and placed it on the pedestal; its height reached 93 meters along with the pedestal. On October 28, 1886, President Grover Cleveland officially unveiled the Statue of Liberty in front of thousands of spectators.

Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

In 1892, the US government opened a federal immigration station at Ellis Island, located near Bedloe Island in Upper New York Bay. Between 1892 and 1954, approximately 12 million immigrants arrived at Ellis Island before being allowed to enter the United States. From 1900 to 1914, during the peak years of its operation, approximately 5,000 to 10,000 people passed through each day.

Rising above New York Harbor, the Statue of Liberty majestically greeted everyone passing through Ellis Island. Engraved on a plaque at the entrance to the statue's pedestal is a sonnet entitled "The New Colossus", written in 1883 by Emma Lazarus as part of a fundraising competition. Its most famous passage speaks to the statue's role as a welcoming symbol of freedom and democracy to the millions of immigrants who came to America in search of a new, better life:

Give me all those tired ones
who is oppressed by the cruelty of your harsh disposition, -
outcasts passionately thirsting for freedom.

Become a beacon of greatness and glory,
my torch is at the Golden Gate."

Statue of Liberty through the years

Until 1901, the American Lighthouse Board operated the Statue of Liberty, as the statue's torch represented a navigational aid for sailors. Thereafter, it was placed under the jurisdiction of the United States War Department due to Fort Wood's status as still an Army operational post. The federal government made the statue a national monument in 1924, and it was transferred to the care of the National Park Service in 1933. In 1956, Bedloe Island was renamed Liberty Island, and in 1965, more than a decade after the Federal Migration Station closed, Ellis Island became part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument.

By the early 20th century, oxidation of the Statue of Liberty's copper skin from exposure to rain, wind and sun gave the statue a distinctive green color known as verdigris. In 1984, the statue was closed to the public and underwent a major restoration in time for its centennial celebration. Just as restoration began, the United Nations designated the Statue of Liberty as a World Heritage Site. Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Liberty Island closed for 100 days; the Statue of Liberty itself was closed to visitors until August 2004. In July 2009, the statue's crown reopened to the public, although visitors must pre-register to climb to the top of the pedestal or crown as... The Statue of Liberty can only accommodate 240 people per day.

The Statue of Liberty is located in the USA in New York City and is a symbol of the country. Few people know that the full name of the Statue of Liberty is “Liberty Enlightening the World.” People are more accustomed to simply calling her the “Statue of Liberty” or “Lady Liberty.” This legendary statue is a gift from France in honor of the centennial of the American Revolution, and is located on Liberty Island, a few kilometers southwest of Manhattan, in New York State. Bedloe Island was officially renamed Liberty Island thanks to the lady with the torch in 1956, although Americans began calling it that at the beginning of the 20th century.

Height of the Statue of Liberty in the USA is 93 meters along with a 47-meter pedestal. Lady Liberty stands on the broken chains. In her left hand she holds a tablet on which is engraved in Roman numerals a significant date for America - the day of signing of the US Declaration of Independence - July 4, 1776, and in her right hand there is a torch that symbolizes the light illuminating the path to freedom. To ascend to the crown, visitors must climb 356 steps, where they are treated to a wonderful panorama of New York City, which they can admire directly from the main observation deck located in the crown. There are 25 windows, which are considered to be symbols of precious stones, and the 7 rays of the crown symbolize the seas and continents in accordance with the traditions of Western geography. Inside the Statue of Liberty itself is a museum dedicated to the history of the statue's creation. You can get to it by taking the elevator.


The history of the creation of the Statue of Liberty in the USA.

The author of the design of the Statue of Liberty is considered to be the French sculptor and architect Frederic Bartholdi. The French engineer Alexander Gustav Eiffel, creator of the Eiffel Tower, took part in the creation of the frame and reinforcing structures. However, both the French and the Americans worked on the construction of the entire monument. For example, the star-shaped pedestal was designed by American architect Richard Morris Hunt.

Parts of the body of the future statue were cast in France, and the pedestal was created in the USA. Over the course of 4 months, the statue was put together. Bartholdi was somewhat mistaken in his calculations: as it turned out, the materials allocated for the construction of the statue were categorically insufficient, so all kinds of concerts, lotteries and charity evenings were organized, the purpose of which was to raise funds for the purchase of materials. Americans were extremely reluctant to part with their money, so American journalist Joseph Pulitzer wrote several articles in his newspaper The World, calling on the upper and middle classes of society to take part in building a symbol of US independence. His words contained such sharp criticism that it had an effect, and funds began to flow from all over the country. Through joint efforts, by the end of the summer of 1885, the entire amount was finally collected. By that time, the French had just completed their half of the work, and the finished parts of the statue were delivered to America on the frigate Isère in July 1885. The valuable cargo occupied more than 200 boxes and represented 350 body parts of Lady Liberty.

Grand opening of the statue took place on October 28, 1886 with the participation of US President Grover Cleveland. An interesting fact is that only men were present at the unveiling ceremony, despite the fact that the statue was a symbol of democracy. As an exception, only a few women were allowed onto the island, among whom was Bartholdi's wife.


Since 1924 Statue of Liberty in USA is classified as a National Monument, and the island itself has received the title National Park USA. In 1984, the Statue of Liberty and the entire island were declared a monument of world significance by UN representatives.

Currently, the monument is illuminated with laser illumination; the statue has been restored several times, acquiring new elements, but in general its original appearance has been preserved.


To get to Lady Liberty, more than 5 million tourists travel to short trip on a ferryboat. Entrance to the monument itself is free, but you will have to pay for the ferry. For many years The Statue of Liberty in the USA remains a symbol of the country's independence and business card New York.

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 added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. 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.

 

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