Where is the Statue of Liberty located? Perhaps everyone knows the answer to this question. It's no secret that this monument is considered to be a symbol of the United States of America, as it is located in New York, on the island of Freedom. Surely everyone, even those who have not been to America, saw this majestic monument on television, on the pages of magazines, in gift shops and even in school books.
The full name of the Statue of Liberty literally sounds like "freedom that illuminates the world." As conceived, the monument is a symbol of independence and democracy. By the way, not everyone knows that the
Statue of Liberty, whose
height is 93 meters with a pedestal, was donated to the United States by the French people, who at one time supported the American people in their struggle for independence. The idea of creating such a sculpture was born in 1865 in the head of the famous French scientist Edouard Rene Leferva de Laboulaye. The concept of the monument was developed by the French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdy. The first model of the statue today can be seen in Paris near the Eiffel Tower.
Choosing a place for the statue
We found out where the Statue of Liberty is located, it remains to find out why it was installed in this place. The place was chosen by the sculptor Bartholdi. He decided that Bedlow Island (3 km from the southern border of Manhattan) is the best place. However, according to the available information, they also wanted to install the statue in Port Said, in the Suez Canal, which connects the Mediterranean and Red Seas in Egypt. This project was not implemented, and they decided to put the monument in the United States, since it was here that the original idea was realized most fully.
Statue of Liberty: History
The project for the erection of the monument was approved in 1877. They planned to establish the Statue of Liberty a year earlier, but fundraising was delayed. Interestingly, money for the erection of the monument was collected as soon as possible: specially for this, various events, competitions, lotteries, exhibitions and balls were organized. The first presentation of the monument took place on July 4, 1884, after which it was sent to the United States. In New York, where the Statue of Liberty is located today, it was only a year later, and the assembly lasted as long as 4 months. The official opening of the Statue of Liberty took place only in the fall of 1886. In 1956, Bedlow Island was renamed Freedom Island.
In and around the Statue of Liberty
The statue itself is a steel frame weighing 125 tons. The design and construction of the steel structure was done by Gustav Eiffel, author of the famous Eiffel Tower in Paris. The frame is constructed so that you can freely move inside, climb the stairs to the main observation deck, which is located in the crown. From the windows of the crown offers a wonderful view of the harbor. On the tablet in the left hand of the “Lady of Liberty” the date is July 4, 1776 - the date of signing of the Declaration of Independence. In addition, the pedestal, which weighs 25 thousand tons, houses a museum, and to get to the top of the pedestal, you need to overcome almost 200 steps! Today, the island where the Statue of Liberty is located is considered a national park, and the monument itself is a national monument.
By the way, the monument was restored several times, new lighting elements were added. Today, for example, this is a laser backlight.
How to get to the Statue of Liberty?
To look at the monument and visit it, tourists come from all over the world year-round. Entrance to the island is free, but the ferry crossing that goes to it needs to be paid, and it ranges from 5 to 15 dollars. Entrance to the Statue is also free.