The Statue of Liberty was gifted to the United States by the French government in honor of the centennial of the American Declaration of Independence. The gigantic figure was called “Liberty Illuminating the World” and was created over 10 years in the art studio of sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi. Gustave Eiffel, the creator of the Eiffel Tower, designed the internal steel frame for it. It was planned to present this gift on July 4, 1876, but due to a lack of funds, which were supposed to be replenished through voluntary donations, the celebration had to be postponed.
Practical Americans did not understand for what kind of romantic utopias they should part with their labor income.
Bartholdi was forced to send to the states a fragment of a statue 15 meters high - the right hand and a torch, which he installed in Philadelphia at the centenary exhibition. They charged 50 cents to climb into the torch itself. (decent money at that time). The hand with the torch was then transported to New York and installed in Madison Square Garden. And yet there was clearly not enough money.
And then a young journalist, editor and publisher of the World newspaper, Joseph Pulitzer, got down to business. At 18, he arrived in New York penniless from Hungary and began his working career as a newspaper delivery boy. Then he began to write police chronicles, small notes and quite quickly became the owner of the dying newspaper “New York World”. He instantly restructured its work, addressing thousands of new emigrants like him. like himself, perfectly understanding their needs and aspirations. So Pulitzer abruptly joined the money-raising campaign.
“This statue is not a gift from the millionaires of France to the millionaires of America,” he wrote angrily, “it is a gift from the French to all Americans. Take this as a call addressed to you personally!”
Within 5 months the required amount was collected. This action brought fame to Pulitzer and allowed the newspaper's circulation to triple. And these days, the Pulitzer Prize is the most prestigious award for journalists.
Finally, on October 28, 1886, US President Grover Cleveland, amid great fanfare, accepted the Statue of Liberty on Bedlow Island, renamed Liberty Island in 1956 in honor of the famous statue.
Initially, an agreement was reached between the governments of the two countries, according to which the French side was responsible for the construction and transportation of the statue, while America prepared a place for it and erected an appropriate pedestal. Both the French and Americans agreed that a small island at the entrance to New York Harbor would be best suited for their purposes. Here, at one time, the foundation for Fort Wood in the shape of a ten-pointed star was already laid. It could well have served as the foundation for a grandiose pedestal, the first stone of which was laid in 1884.
Bartholdi intended to cover the statue itself, 47 m high, with copper sheets no more than 2.4 mm thick. Thin copper had to be minted using a special wooden mold. As a result, Bartholdi and his assistants produced 350 individual skin parts, which were sent by ship to the USA in July 1884. On Bedloe Island they were put together like a huge construction set and placed on a steel frame made by Eiffel.
The frame consists of four monumental steel supports that span the entire height of the statue. These supports are attached to the pedestal with huge steel bolts. The lace of the steel frame, which Bartholdi covered with hundreds of parts from his designer, is distributed on the main supports. To give the statue sufficient strength and flexibility, each element of the copper plating was equipped with its own independent beam. Bartholdi had hoped in advance that the sheathing material would make it easier for him to assemble the statue, because thin sheet copper bends and cuts easily. This made it possible to make the final adjustment of parts directly on the statue during the assembly process. One way or another, the Statue of Liberty is without a doubt an example of the skill of a talented French engineer.
In the ensemble with a plinth, made in the classical style by the architect Richard M. Hunt, the height of the statue from the base to the top of the golden flames is 95 m. The seven rays on its crown symbolize the seven seas. For many travelers who crossed the Atlantic to America, the Statue of Liberty was a symbol of freedom, independence and prosperity.
On the occasion of its 100th anniversary in 1986, the Statue of Liberty received a facelift. The salty sea air corroded its structure so much that serious restoration was required. Voluntary contributions from citizens across America more than covered the $2 million cost of this work. This statue means a lot to the citizens of America - and not only to them.
An Invitation to Hope
In a figurative sense, the Statue of Liberty was the first sign of a new world for the many millions of immigrants who have come to America over the past two centuries.
The famous words on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty belong to New York poet Emma Lazarus, who were written after the war that swept across Russia in the 1880s. waves of pogroms that forced many Jews to cross the Atlantic.
Since then, her lines have acquired a universal resonance, serving as a beacon of hope for all the disadvantaged and persecuted: And give me from the bottomless depths of your outcasts, your downtrodden people, Send me the outcasts, the homeless, I will give them a golden candle at the door!
For tourists
Get to Liberty Island (Liberty Island) via ferry from Battery Park Pier (Battery park). Entering the park, you will see a long, organized queue, like once at the Mausoleum; these are those who want to visit the island with the statue, which you may want to join.
Visits to Corona are once again permitted, but space is limited so you must book your tickets in advance. Those who have not done so will have to walk around the area around the statue and go up to the observation deck on the 16th floor; a special glass ceiling allows you to see the impressive “insides” of the statue. A visit to the island by ferry is usually combined with a visit to neighboring Ellis Island (Ellis Island). Ferries (Tel: 201-604-2800, 877-523-9849; www.statuecruises.com; adult/child $13/5; every 30 minutes 9:00-17:00, longer in summer) depart from Battery Park (Battery Park). The nearest metro stations are South Ferry and Bowling Green. Book your ferry tickets in advance (visit to crown - additional $3), you will visit both attractions.
An excursion to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty is best done in the warm season and during daylight hours.
Of course, in winter there are much fewer people interested, so. If you are not afraid of the icy piercing wind that gets to your skin through the warmest down coats and gloves, then it’s worth a try. Traveling on a boat is wonderful, but being on an open area in cold weather is a very extreme feeling. On Ellis Island there is an old immigration center where all new arrivals to the country were received and registered, now there is a museum there.
Data
- Title: Officially translated from French, its name is “Freedom that illuminates the world.” She is also known as the Statue of Liberty, Lady Liberty or Miss Liberty.
- Design: The author of the statue is the French sculptor Frederic Bartholdi. Posting Eiffel was responsible for the engineering work, and he also created its steel internal frame. The total weight of the statue is 254 tons.
- Dimensions: The statue itself is 46.5 m high and stands on a 47-meter pedestal, to the top of which there is a staircase of 194 steps, and to the crown of the statue you need to walk 354 steps.
- UNESCO World Heritage List: The Statue of Liberty was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1984.
Ellis Island
Serving from 1892 to 1954 as a transit point for more than 12 million immigrants hoping to start a new life in America, Ellis Island is modest and sometimes even squalid, but on the other hand, it symbolizes the fulfillment of dreams. More than three thousand people died here in the island hospital; many were denied entry. The Ellis Island Immigration Station is the second stop on ferries heading to the Statue of Liberty. The beautiful main building became the Immigration Museum (Immigration museum; Tel: 212-363-3200; www.ellisisland.org; New York Harbor (New York Harbor); audio guide $8; 9.30-17.00), where interesting exhibitions and film screenings are held about the life of immigrants and how the influx of people changed the United States.
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 a wonderful panorama of New York City opens up to them, 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. It can be reached 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 Gustave 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 of a US National Park. 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 take the short ferry trip every year. 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 it remains a symbol of the country's independence and a calling card of New York.
One of the most famous landmarks of the USA, which is known not only to the indigenous population of the country, but to each of us. The Statue of Liberty is located in New York - a monument that can be especially often seen in films, as well as photographs of American tourists.
Opening of a memorial site accompanied by a cannon salvo, fireworks and the blaring of sirens. The long-awaited event happened back in 1886. Since that time, ships entering the port of New York are greeted by a stone statue of a woman holding the torch of freedom in her hand.
No matter how paradoxical it may sound, but symbol of America was the brainchild of French masters. It was there that the statue appeared to the light for the first time. Having taken it apart piece by piece, it was sent sailing straight across the Atlantic Ocean. Already in New York it was assembled and placed on a powerful base, already made by Native Americans. The statue was installed on Bedlow Island, which was later renamed Liberty Island.
The monument was conceived by academician Edouard de Laboulaye in 1865, and the author of the work was Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, a sculptor originally from Alsace. The sculptor chose Bedlow Island for his own reasons, and in general, he imagined the monument not only on it, but also in Port Said (Suez Canal). Bartholdi failed to bring his project “Egypt Bringing Light to Asia” to life, but for America the idea came in handy.
The project was approved in Congress in 1877, even though, according to the plan, the sculpture should have appeared already in 1876, on the day the US Declaration of Independence was signed. However, it was not possible to immediately raise the required amount of money for the construction of the masterpiece; the deadlines were delayed. Lady Liberty reached New York on July 17, 1885. Over the course of four months, the monument was put together. There is one interesting fact related to the opening of the monument on October 28, 1886. The ceremony was held in the company of only men, and this despite the fact that the statue represents a symbol of freedom. Only a little girl of eight years old and one woman were able to visit the island that day - Lessens' daughter and Bartholdi's wife.
What is the Statue of Liberty? The monument is formed by a steel frame weighing 125 tons. To design and build the structure, Gustav Eiffel was called in to help, who was replaced a little later by Maurice Koechlin. Inside the structure you can move and climb to the very top using a spiral staircase. To get to the observation deck you have to climb 354 steps. This path will seem easy after you look out of one of the 25 windows at the very top and see an incredible panoramic view.
The top of the steel skeleton is covered with copper plates, forming the silhouette of the monument. Copper was supplied for them from Russia. A symbol of freedom is also a broken shackle at one of the legs of the statue.
Initially she was nicknamed "Freedom, bringing light to the world", then renamed to the current one. The height of the sculpture is 46 meters. If you count all the elements of the statue together with the torch, the height will be 93 meters. Weight reaches 205 tons.
The statue received national monument status in 1924, followed by Bedloe Island itself. The monument was restored several times and new lighting was added.
Many people may have a question: “Who was the prototype of the statue?”. There are two versions. According to one of them, it is believed that Bartholdi was inspired by the image of Isabella Bayer (the widow of Isaac Singer). Another claims that the image belongs to his mother Charlotte.
Inside the statue opened a museum in 1972, accessible by elevator. The museum provides information about the history of the country's settlement. There are many conflicting opinions about the symbol of America. Some spoke about the high technique of execution, the clarity and grace of the lines, while others believe that it is impossible to talk about this statue as a symbol of freedom, it is too dispassionate and cold. Only opinions do not prevent residents of the United States, and the whole world in particular, from considering the Statue of Liberty a symbol of the country.
The Americans proclaimed the statue a symbol of freedom, which is also a visual embodiment of the country's democracy. The Statue of Liberty itself is located on a separate island of the same name near New York; the date of its construction is considered to be 1886.
Forty-six-meter gift
This statue is one of the seven tallest statues in the world, standing at about 93 meters in height. She seems to be towering on her island, stretching out her hand holding a torch straight into the sky. If we calculate separately the height of itself and the height of its pedestal, it turns out that the pedestal on which it stands is 47 meters, respectively, the statue itself, a gift from France, is slightly less - about 46 meters.
If you look in detail, you can study the height of the details of the statue. The torch, which is held in the right hand of the monumental Goddess of Liberty, is 8.8 meters long.
Inside the hand of the statue there is a so-called service or working staircase; its height is 12.8 meters. In the first years after the opening of the statue, this staircase was accessible to the general public, and anyone could climb it, but later - in 1916 - it was closed to the public. Currently, a special elevator can take visitors to the statue to its pedestal and to the very top - the crown.
In the opposite hand, the statue holds a tablet on which is written the date on which the US Declaration of Independence was adopted.
Crowned person
Located on the head of the Goddess of Freedom, it has its own original design and symbolism. The crown contains 25 windows that allow you to enjoy stunning views from a height of 93 meters.
Such a building is not only high, but also heavy. The total weight of the structure is estimated to be about 125 tons, and the weight of the copper statue is 31 tons.
The 7 rays located on the crown symbolize the 7 continents into which the earth is divided.
The Statue of Liberty is often compared to another giant statue, the Colossus of Rhodes. The height of the Colossus, according to surviving historical data, reached from 36 to 100 meters. Historical chronicles differ in their testimony, and therefore it is not possible to say exactly how many meters there were in the wonder of the world today.
An American poet who praised the Statue of Liberty wrote a work she called “The New Colossus.” Thus, once again emphasizing the majestic height of the building, it was later that her work was engraved on a bronze tablet and attached to the pedestal of the statue, where the Statue of Liberty Museum is now located.
The observation deck at the crown of the Statue of Liberty in New York opens today.
The Statue of Liberty, full name "Liberty Enlightening the World" is one of the most famous sculptures in the USA and in the world, often called the "symbol of New York and the USA", "a symbol of freedom and democracy ", "Lady Liberty".
The Statue of Liberty is located on Liberty Island, approximately 3 km southwest of the southern tip of Manhattan, one of the boroughs of New York. Until 1956, the island was called Bedloe's Island.
The Statue of Liberty is a gift from the French people to the United States in honor of the centenary of American independence and as a sign of friendship between the two states.
The idea for this symbol came from the French scientist, lawyer and abolitionist Edouard de Laboulaye back in the late 1860s. He proceeded from the fact that America and France were connected by old friendly ties. France provided moral and material support to the American struggle for independence - the French General Lafayette even became a national hero of the United States. The statue was intended as a gift for the centennial anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 1876. With this gift, the French wanted to express their admiration for the great republic on the other side of the Atlantic. The French sculptor Frederic Bartholdi was commissioned to create the statue. His Statue of Liberty was inspired by Delacroix's famous painting "Liberty Leading the People to the Barricades." The internal supporting structure of the tower was made by Gustave Eiffel, the future creator of the Eiffel Tower.
Work on the statue was completed in France in July 1884. The statue was constructed from thin sheets of copper hammered into wooden molds. The formed sheets were then installed on a steel frame.
In June 1885, the statue was delivered to New York Harbor aboard the French frigate Isere. "Lady Liberty" was transported from France to the United States in disassembled form - it was divided into 350 parts, packed in 214 boxes. Assembling the statue on the pedestal took four months.
On September 11, 2001, as a result of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, the Statue of Liberty and the island were closed to the public.
The interior of the statue remains closed to the public, but the iron frame created by Gustave Eiffel can be seen through the glass separator.
In May 2009, it was announced that the Crown Observation Deck of the Statue of Liberty would reopen to tourists on July 4, 2009.
At the very beginning, the statue was not green, it turned green due to atmospheric conditions, the main one being acid rain.
The torch we see today is not the historical torch from 1886. It was replaced during the 1984 - 1986 renovation as its restoration was considered inappropriate. The original torch was modified quite extensively in 1916. Today this torch is displayed in a museum located inside the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty.
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 attached to the outside of the pedestal. The last lines of the sonnet in the Russian translation sound like this: “...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 is at the Golden Gate!"
The following coins were minted with the image of the Statue of Liberty: November 11, 1922 - 15 cent coin; June 24, 1954 - 3 cent coin; April 9, 1954 - 8 cent coin and June 11, 1961 - 11 cent coin.
The New York 25-cent coin, minted in 2001, features the Statue of Liberty with the words “Gateway to Freedom.”
