The Statue of Liberty, located on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world. Designed by French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and engineered by Gustave Eiffel, the statue was a gift from France to the United States to celebrate the centennial of the American Declaration of Independence and to symbolize freedom and democracy.
The statue, officially titled "Liberty Enlightening the World," was dedicated on October 28, 1886. It stands at a total height of 305 feet, including its pedestal, making it one of the tallest statues of its time. The internal structure is composed of iron and steel, while the exterior is made of copper, which has turned green over the years due to oxidation.
One of the lesser-known facts about the statue is that its face was modeled after Bartholdi's mother, Charlotte Bartholdi. The crown has seven spikes, representing the seven continents and seven seas, symbolizing universal liberty. There are 25 windows in the crown, which represent gemstones and the heaven's rays shining over the world.
The statue's torch was originally intended to serve as a lighthouse, and it did function as one from 1886 to 1902. However, it was not very effective due to its low light output. The current torch, installed in 1986 during the statue's centennial restoration, is covered in 24-karat gold leaf, replacing the original copper flame.
Another interesting trivia is that the statue's pedestal was designed by American architect Richard Morris Hunt. The pedestal contains a plaque with the famous sonnet "The New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus, which includes the iconic lines:
"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-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
The statue's construction faced several challenges, including funding issues. To raise money for the pedestal, newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer initiated a fundraising campaign through his newspaper, "The New York World," encouraging donations from the American public.
During World War II, the statue was closed to the public for security reasons. It was also closed after the September 11 attacks in 2001 and again in 2012 due to Hurricane Sandy, which caused significant damage to Liberty Island. Each time, the statue has been meticulously restored and reopened.
Interestingly, there are several replicas of the Statue of Liberty around the world, including in Paris, Tokyo, and Las Vegas. The most famous replica is the smaller version in Paris, also designed by Bartholdi, which faces westward toward its larger sibling in New York.
The Statue of Liberty remains a powerful symbol of freedom and democracy, attracting millions of visitors each year and continuing to inspire people around the globe.