The most famous symbol of America is a sculpture of "Freedom that illuminates the world." Many are aware that it was a gift from France, but few know which country was still involved in its creation, albeit indirectly.
Also from the article you can learn about some interesting facts related to the construction, installation and operation of the statue. And also you will know the names of those who made a lot of efforts to create the monument.
What the gift was about
It is known who gave America the Statue of Liberty. But what was this gift dedicated to? In 1876, France decided to present the present to the centenary of US independence. Funds for this idea had to be raised for years. This was attended by the French and Americans. But while the statue was installed, several years passed, and the anniversary of independence has already passed.
“Lady Liberty” holds a sign in her hand, on which the date of signing of the Declaration of Independence of the USA is written in Latin letters , namely “July, 4, 1776”. In 1883, the sonnet of Emma Lazarus “The New Colossus” was dedicated to the statue. Rows of it were engraved on a plate in 1903 and attached to a pedestal of sculpture.
History of creation
The history of the Statue of Liberty began with the decision of France to entrust this work to the sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdy. Further, the countries agreed that the pedestal would be built by the forces of America, and the sculpture - at the expense of the French. Who else participated in creating the gift?
To your attention is a list of those who gave America the Statue of Liberty:
- Frederic Bartholdi designed the look and brought up his wishes on where to place Lady Liberty better;
- Gustave Eiffel and his assistant Maurice Kekhlin created drawings of a massive steel support and supporting frame;
- Richard Morris designed a pedestal for sculpture;
- US General William Sherman chose a place for the statue;
- Ulysses Grant is the president of the United States, who supported the idea of creating the symbol of Freedom.
The construction of the sculpture was completed in 1884. She was taken unassembled on the frigate Isere to New York harbor a year later. For this, more than two hundred boxes were needed. The assembly took four months, and the official opening took place on 10/28/1886. Despite the fact that the gift was ten years late for the centenary, many honored guests gathered for its opening, including US President Grover Cleveland. If it were not for the belated opening of the monument, then the people of America heard a congratulatory speech from Richard Nixon, who still held this post on 07/04/1976.
Russian trace
In addition to the French and Americans, according to some sources, the Russians are related to sculpture. The copper sheets with which it was coated were purchased in Russia. They were made at the Nizhny Tagil plant. However, many researchers have already been able to refute this fact. The fact is that in Nizhny Tagil in those days a railway was not yet laid. Researchers concluded that copper was shipped from Norway, although there is no documented evidence of this.
Who gave America the Statue of Liberty? Regardless of whether there was a Russian or a Norwegian trace in this, it was the French people who initiated and created the symbol of freedom.
Choosing a place to install
Where is the Statue of Liberty today? As at the time of its installation, it is located on an island three kilometers southwest of Manhattan (its southern part), which is in New York. Before the statue appeared, it was called Bedlow Island. After planting a French gift on it, people began to call it the island of Liberty. In 1956, it was officially renamed.
Using the statue
Over the entire period of its existence, the well-known symbol of America was not just a monument of architecture. Initially, they planned to use it as a lighthouse. Practice has shown that torch lamps were weak and ineffective. From the unit that operated the lighthouses, the figure was transferred to the military department, and later to the service that dealt with national parks.
By 1924, the exhibit became a US National Monument, and was later included in the UNESCO list.
How was the Statue of Liberty used in different years? She had the following incarnations:
- lighthouse;
- Museum
- viewpoint.
Over the entire life of the figure, it was repaired many times, but the most global work was carried out in 1938 and 1984.
Interesting Facts
The reader already knows who gave America the Statue of Liberty. But few people know that the sculpture depicts the ancient Greek goddess Hekate (some historians agree on this). This goddess was the mistress of hell, and the torch was used by her in the underworld. In addition, she was considered the patroness of witchcraft, insanity, insanity, obsession. Hecate was depicted with horns on her head, but they can be seen at the statue in the form of rays of light. Although it is believed that in fact Bartholdi embodied the image of the ancient Roman goddess Libertas.
The right hand holding the torch crossed the Atlantic Ocean three times. It was first transported to the World Exhibition in Philadelphia in 1884, after which it was returned. The third time, a hand swam across the ocean with all the other parts of the statue.
After the events of September 11, 2001, access to the island and to the symbol of America was closed. By 2012, access was fully open, right down to the crown. You can go upstairs or by elevator. To reach the crown, it is necessary to go through 356 steps. The observation deck has 25 windows that overlook the harbor.
There are many smaller copies in the world. For example, in Paris, Tokyo, as well as more than two hundred copies are in America itself.
It is believed that the number of rays on the crown is symbolized by seven continents, according to Western geographical tradition.
By 1886, the torch was severely destroyed by corrosion and replaced with a new one, which was plated with 24 gold.