Statue of Liberty: The most famous monument in New York, and its history

The Statue of Liberty is a symbol of one of the largest states in the world and the epitome of independence and democracy. Her name is given to the island on which she stands. It was originally pink, but then it changed color. There are many disputes and mysteries surrounding it, and it was not even built by the citizens of the country whose symbol it has become. We’re telling you.

Where is the Statue of Liberty?

The Statue of Liberty is located in Upper New York Bay on Liberty Island (formerly called Bedloe’s Island, in honor of the owner Isaac Bedloe, who acquired this land in 1660). The indigenous people of the island were Indians who called the island Minnesota. It is located at the confluence of the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay and covers an area of four hectares.

In 1758, the island’s lands were transferred to the authorities of New York, and 12 years later, it came under the jurisdiction of the United States federal government. The first settlers from the continent dubbed it the Big Oyster. And this was not the last name of the island.

By 1841, the island was overgrown with fortifications in the form of an 11-pointed star. The island became world famous 47 years later, thanks to the Statue of Liberty installed on it; in 1956, it received its modern name — Liberty Island, and 10 years later, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places of the United States of America.

You can get to the national symbol of American democracy from the dock of Battery Park in Manhattan, which is located near the Bowling Green, South Ferry, and White Hall metro stations. Sightseeing tours include visits to two islands — Liberty Itself and the neighboring Ellice Island, where the Freedom Museum and the National Museum of Immigration are located.

Photo of the Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty is a massive neoclassical monument in the form of a woman holding a torch in her right hand. July 4, 1776, is the day of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence of the United States from Great Britain, and a burning torch is held above his head in his right hand. A crown adorns her head, and broken chains lie at her feet, symbolizing the liberation of America and the world from tyranny.

The size of the Statue of Liberty

There are two viewing platforms inside the Statue of Liberty. The first one is located at the base of the monument at the level of a 16-story building, which can be reached by elevator. However, the most stunning panoramic view is available from the second platform, situated at the crown, at an altitude of 93 meters. To get there, you will have to go up another 144 steps after the elevator.

The pedestal, shaped like a five-pointed star, houses the museum that tells the story of the monument.

The height of the Statue of Liberty is just over 92 meters, 46 meters of which are occupied by the pedestal and 47 more by the figure itself along with the torch.

Material: mainly copper is a metal that is resistant to corrosion from salt air.

Supporting structures: made of flexible iron pylons, which give the statue stability and resistance to strong headwinds.

Frame weight: 125 tons.

Weight of the outer lining: 31 tons.

The weight of the concrete base is about 25.5 thousand tons.

Pedestal: granite.

The history of the Statue of Liberty

A common history unites the Liberty and Ellice Islands. Once, Ellis was the main one, and a statue was erected on Liberty to greet emigrants who arrived at Ellis.

According to one version, the prototype of the Statue of Liberty was the ancient Greek goddess of the moon, darkness, and sorcery, Hecate. The second is the ancient Egyptian goddess Isis, who represents femininity and motherhood. Nevertheless, Liberty looks more like Hecate, both in body structure and attire (chiton and ray crown).

However, there is a third version, according to which the prototype of “Lady Liberty” was not a woman at all but a lost wonder of the world — the Colossus of Rhodes was the ancient Greek monument to the god Helios. The sculpture itself has been lost, but it is known that the head of the deity was crowned with a pointed crown, and the body was draped with metal sheets, like a cloth.

Who built the Statue of Liberty

The idea of creating the monument, oddly enough, belongs not to the Americans but to the French. Specifically, to the founder of the anti-slavery society in France, Edouard de Laboulaye, who decided to make a big present in all respects to strengthen relations with the United States.

At one of the dinner parties, he voiced his idea in the presence of sculptor Frederic Bartholdi, who immediately realized that the project could bring him worldwide fame and decided to take it up. But in the beginning, I visited New York in search of the location of the future statue.

It didn’t take long to search, but after seeing the island, Bartholdi already decided that this was the best place to find. Having resolved organizational issues, the sculptor returned to France and began to consider the image of the statue. De Laboulaye added symbolism by deciding to coincide the gift with the day of the abolition of slavery in America.

The job proved to be extremely challenging. Only one torch was ready for the centenary of independence, and it was demonstrated at an exhibition dedicated to the date. Then things went even slower.

The internal structure proved to be unreliable; the statue was too massive, and the project almost collapsed as a result. However, Gustave Eiffel saved the situation by developing a frame with reinforced fasteners, rods, and crossbars. The figure gained flexibility; it swayed slightly in the wind, but it could no longer fall to the ground.

The statue was built with donations from the French, but the American side, represented by the new governor of New York, Grover Cleveland, refused to participate financially in the project. The French were justifiably outraged, demanding that the statue be left in France. And so it would have been if Joseph Pulitzer had not intervened, who opened the collection and quickly collected the necessary 50 thousand dollars to complete the project.

When was the Statue of Liberty built

In general, approximately 10 years have passed since the project’s creation to its implementation. By 1885, the Statue of Liberty was completed, after which it had to be sawn into 350 fragments to be transported by water to the American island.

Now, it was necessary to reassemble it. It took another four months. In parallel, the foundation and pedestal were being prepared.

The installation of the Statue of Liberty was completed in the early autumn of 1886, and the grand opening took place on October 28 of the same year. To this day, the statue remains the primary symbol of America and its tallest sculpture.

However, Lady Liberty does not reach the height of the symbol of the Soviet Union’s victory, losing as much as seven meters in height to the Motherland, and even more, if we take into account their pedestals.

What does the Statue of Liberty symbolize?

Torch

The torch in the right hand of the Statue of Liberty symbolizes the illumination of the “path to freedom.” For almost a year, the fire burned within it, but in 1886, the torch was covered with 24-carat gold, which glows in the sun’s rays.

Book

It is not a book but a legislative tablet (tabula ansata), a declaration of the creation of the independent United States of America, with the inscription made in Roman characters “MDCCLXXVI.”

Crown

The crown of the Statue of Liberty is a subject of controversy. Whether it’s a hint of divinity or a halo. According to one version, its seven rays symbolize the seven continents of the Earth, while another version suggests they represent the seven seas of the world. What is indisputable is that the Statue of Liberty looks very much like the Roman goddess of Freedom, Libertas, whose head in many images was crowned with a crown with seven rays.

Fingers and feet

At the feet of the figure lie broken shackles, a broken jug, and the tip of an axe, saying that the age of tyranny and imprisonment is over; long live Freedom. Of particular interest are the “Greek feet” of the sculpture (the second toe is longer than the thumb), as a hint that she descended from Olympus itself. Moreover, the figure seems to be ready to move — her right foot is on the toe, as if in the process of walking.

Interesting facts about the Statue of Liberty

The color of the statue

The color of the Statue of Liberty is green, but it wasn’t always like that. For the first few years, the monument was golden pink, but over time, the copper became patinated, and the statue turned green. The cost of the memorial in France is $ 10 million.

Which state does it belong to ?

It is noteworthy that although the island belongs to New York, it is geographically located in New Jersey, and the state border runs through the Hudson River between Liberty and Manhattan.

Which of the real people does the Statue of Liberty look like

It is known that Bartholdi had a model, but the sculptor kept her name a secret. However, the figure and face of Lady Liberty clearly show the features of the sculptor’s mother, whom he resembled. Therefore, there is a version similar to the one that says Leonardo da Vinci painted the famous Gioconda himself. They say that Bartholdi did not have a model, but he created his Freedom in his image and likeness, albeit in a female form.