On October 28th, 1886, one of America’s greatest monuments was dedicated and unveiled: The Statue of Liberty. The statue was designed by the French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, and was given to America to celebrate its first 100 years as a nation. It was also to honor the alliance that was between France and America during the Revolutionary War.
Construction of the Statue of Liberty began in France in 1875. It cost $250,000 dollars to build, which may not seem like much, but in the 19th century, it seems like millions. 9 years later in 1884, the statue was finished. It was then taken apart into 350 pieces and transported to America in 1885. It took four months to put the whole thing together again. Finally, the statue was unveiled in 1886. Its official name, given to it by Bartholdi, is Liberty Enlightening the World.
The statue stands at 151 feet from the base to the torch, and at 305 feet if the foundation and pedestal are included. The foundation itself, which is an 11-point star, is 65 feet tall, and the pedestal is 89 feet. Liberty’s feet are a whopping 25 feet long, and she has a face that measures 8 feet from chin to forehead. The tablet that she carries is 23 feet, 7 inches long, and has the inscription of July IV MDCCLXXVI (July 4th, 1776), which is the date that America adopted the Declaration of Independence. There are 354 steps to climb from the pedestal to the head of Liberty. People used to be able to go on the torch’s balcony, but it has been prohibited to do so since 1916 for safety reasons. The seven spikes on the crown represent the seven continents, as well as the seven seas, of the world. In 1894, the original torch was removed due to excessive water damage and put in the island’s museum. The replacement torch is made of copper and covered in thin sheets of 24kt gold leaf.
On Liberty Island, there’s a few things to see and do. There are 30-minute tours to take around the island, where you can hear and learn about the history of the island and statue. There is also the American Museum of Immigration to check out, which is where the original torch of the statue is kept. There are two different places of departure to visit Liberty Island, being Battery Park in New York and Liberty State Park in New Jersey. For tickets with access to the pedestal and museum only, prices are $13 for adults, $10 for seniors ages 62+, and $5 for children ages 4 to 12. For tickets with access to the crown as well as the pedestal, prices are $16 for adults, $13 for seniors, and $8 for children ages 4 to 12. Tickets for children under the age of 4 are free of charge. Ellis Island is included on all tickets.
Beginning in late 2011, the statue will be closed off for up to a year so that a second staircase can be added.
Plan your USA tour that features New York today!
