Statue of Liberty in NYC -

symbol of America.

The Statue of Liberty is one of the most famous sculptures in the world, a symbol of freedom and democracy.

The monument was erected on a small island in New York Harbor. The statue is truly grandiose: the height from the ground to the tip of the torch is 93 m (the size of a 31-story building), including the base and pedestal. The height of the statue itself, from the top of the pedestal to the torch, is 46 m.
The statue is constructed from thin sheets of copper hammered into wooden molds. The formed sheets are installed on a steel frame.

The total weight of the statue is 160 tons, and the weight of its cement base is 27,000 tons! Despite such a powerful base and foundation, the statue sways slightly in the wind.

The idea for this symbol came from the French scientist, lawyer and abolitionist Edouard René Lefebvre de Laboulaye back in the late 1860s. He proceeded from the fact that America and France were connected by friendly ties. He also offered to give her a certain symbolic gift from the French people as a sign of friendship with America.

By the way, the internal frame of the statue was designed by Gustave Eiffel himself, the future author of the famous Parisian “Eiffel” Tower.

In Paris, the construction of the statue was completed in June 1884 and at a ceremony, it was “presented as a gift” to representatives of America.
The statue was then dismantled into pieces and transported to the United States.

The sculpture was again assembled on a pedestal in New York. Since then, the famous statue has stood on Liberty Island.

The Statue of Liberty is America's most famous symbol. The full title is “Freedom Illuminating the World.”

In Liberty's right hand there is a torch, and in her left hand there is a book where it is written "JULY IV MDCCLXXVI", which means July 4 - Independence Day in the USA (therefore, Liberty stands with one foot on broken shackles).

There are 25 windows in the crown, which symbolize earthly precious stones and heavenly rays that illuminate the world. The seven rays on the crown of the statue symbolize the seven seas and seven continents.

You can get to Liberty Island by ferry.

On the day of Satanic Halloween celebrated in the West, we will talk about the statue that has become a symbol of the new Atlantis, as some of the United States of America are called. The Statue of Liberty was officially unveiled in New York on October 28, 1886. What is it dedicated to and who does it represent?

This is what our article is about.

Official story

The sculpture was a gift from France for the 1876 World's Fair and the centennial of American independence. The statue holds a torch in its right hand and a tablet in its left. The inscription on the tablet reads “English. JULY IV MDCCLXXVI" (written in Roman numerals for the date "July 4, 1776"), this date is the day of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence of the United States. “Freedom” has one foot on broken shackles.

Visitors walk 356 steps to the crown of the Statue of Liberty or 192 steps to the top of the pedestal. There are 25 windows in the crown, which symbolize earthly precious stones and heavenly rays that illuminate the world. The seven rays on the crown of the statue symbolize the seven seas and seven continents (the Western geographical tradition counts exactly seven continents: Africa, Europe, Asia, North America, South America, Antarctica, Australia).

Statue of Liberty in numbers:

• Height from the top of the base to the torch 46.05 m


• Height from ground to top of pedestal 46.94 m


• Height from the ground to the top of the torch 92.99 m


• The height of the statue is 33.86 m


• Hand length 5.00 m


• Index finger length 2.44 m


• Head from crown to chin 5.26 m


• Face width 3.05 m


• Eye length 0.76 m


• Nose length 1.37 m


• Right arm length 12.80 m


• Right arm thickness 3.66 m


• Waist thickness 10.67 m


• Mouth width 0.91 m


• Sign height 7.19 m


• Sign width 4.14 m


• Plaque thickness 0.61 m


• The thickness of the copper coating of the statue is 2.57 mm.


• The total weight of copper used to cast the statue is 31 tons


• The total weight of its steel structure is 125 tons.


• The total weight of the concrete base is 27,000 tons.

The statue was constructed from thin sheets of copper hammered into wooden molds. The formed sheets were then installed on a steel frame.

The statue is usually open to visitors, usually arriving by ferry. The crown, accessible by stairs, offers expansive views of New York Harbor. The museum, located in the pedestal, houses an exhibition on the history of the statue. The museum can be reached by elevator.

The territory of Liberty Island was originally part of the State of New Jersey, was subsequently administered by New York, and is currently under federal administration. Until 1956, the island was called “Bedloe’s Island,” although it was also called “Liberty Island” since the beginning of the 20th century.

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 mounted on the wall in the museum, located in the pedestal of the statue. The famous last lines of "Freedom":

“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. "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-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

In the Russian translation by V. Lazaris:

“To you, ancient lands,” she shouts, silent
Without opening my lips, I live in empty luxury,
And give it to me from the bottomless depths
Our outcasts, our downtrodden people,
Send me the outcasts, the homeless,
I’ll give them a golden candle at the door!”

In a translation closer to the text:

“Leave, O ancient lands, the praise of centuries for yourself!”
Calls silently. "Give me your tired people,
All those longing to breathe freely, abandoned in need,
From the narrow shores of the persecuted, the poor and the orphans.
So send them, homeless and exhausted, to me,
I raise my torch at the golden gate!”

What does the Statue of Liberty really symbolize?

The Statue of Liberty (yes, with a small letter), if you look at it without the propaganda tinsel - this giant woman in a crown with seven rays, with a book and a torch in her hand... who is she? Another fairy tale about the American dream and the ideals of democracy, the national pride of a non-existent American nation?

It is not customary to talk about the true origin and ordeal of the sculpture, about its origins originating in incompatible cultures or about the financial side of the “lady’s” existence. The fable of a gift in honor of the friendship between France and the United States travels around the world as traditionally as the ruddy Santa Claus, another child of commerce. But we will still turn a few pages of history back and see how everything really happened.

The idea of ​​​​creating the statue belongs to Frederic Auguste Bartholdi - if you can call the idea of ​​​​creating an unoriginal monument that can only boast of fragments of classical art and gigantic dimensions. Bartholdi was born in 1834 into a wealthy Jewish family and studied with the famous masters of Paris - without much zeal, but filled with ambitious plans. To get out into the world, Bartholdi resorted to the help of influential relatives who were directly related to the Freemasons.

Quite a lot is known about the influence of Freemasonry on the creation of the United States, from the founding fathers to the symbolism of the dollar. Pyramids, steles, all-seeing eye, etc. also decorate various government buildings in the United States. Let us recall that on July 4, 1776, representatives of their brotherhood signed the Declaration of Independence, which opened the way to the creation of an independent state (we wrote about this in the article “What is the USA or why was this state created? (Part One)” http://inance.ru/ 2015/10/usa-01/).

“What is the USA or why was this state created? (Part one)" http://inance.ru/2015/10/usa-01/

However, the most important symbol of the United States - the Statue of Liberty - as a rule, no connections are made with Freemasonry.

Egyptian sketches

In the 70s of the 19th century, under the control of Freemasons in Egypt, the construction of the Suez Canal took place. The young, ambitious Bartholdi came here, and his imagination was struck by the majestic monuments of this region, which had survived thousands of years. Thus the idea was born in his head to create something equally colossal and impressive that would forever immortalize his name. Meeting with the head of the construction, Ferdinand Lesseps, Frederick convinced him to petition for his plan. The proposal looked like this: to install a giant statue at the entrance to the future canal - it was supposed to be twice as tall as the Great Sphinx and serve as a lighthouse.

Bartholdi decided not to wait for the muse, but to whip up some kind of model for consideration by the local government (it was he who was credited with the supposed funding of the project). And there was no need to invent anything - this was already done by the ancient Greeks, who created the Colossus of Rhodes - one of the seven wonders of the world - around 280 BC. This huge statue of an athletic youth, looking out to sea, was erected at the entrance to the harbor of the island of Rhodes and was subsequently partially destroyed by an earthquake.

Bartholdi “dressed” the model in Egyptian clothing, placed an amphora in his hand, and crowned his head with a wreath. But Lesseps advised him to use the attributes of the ancient Iranian god Mithra - the god of peace, harmony, and subsequently the sun.

Notes in the margins

Mithra is the Indo-Iranian god of light and sun, close to the ancient Greek Helios. His usual attributes were a chariot and a golden throne. Over time, the cult of Mithra penetrated into Asia Minor and changed significantly. Mithra became the god of friendship, who united, reconciled, protected, and enriched people. He was depicted as a young man in short, flowing clothes and a Phrygian cap. The cult of Mithra at the beginning of our era spread throughout the Roman Empire, enjoyed the patronage of emperors, and was later supplanted by Christianity.

Special photo of the head of the Statue of Liberty at the World's Fair in Paris in 1878.

When the cult of the god Mithra spread in ancient Rome, the following legends began to be told about the sun god. He was born from a rock at sunrise. In one hand he held a sword, in the other hand a torch. Mithra fought with the Sun, conquered him and thus became his ally. After this, he subjugated the bull (a symbol of ancient civilization), dragged it into his cave and killed it there. The blood of the bull fertilized the soil, and plants, fruits and small animals grew wildly everywhere.

The Sun God was revered throughout the Roman Empire. This is evidenced even today by four hundred places of sacrifice that have been preserved from those times. The god Mithra was especially revered by ordinary people who performed cult rites in his honor. Thanks to the soldiers, Mithraism became known throughout the then world. The places of this cult known today exist mainly as altars in the rocks.

Miter with rays and an eagle, which later became a symbol of the USA

Along with numerous symbols, the signs of the zodiac are engraved on them. The god Mithra himself always takes the place of the Sun on them - the central constellation of the ancient Romans.

Thus the statue received a torch and a seven-rayed crown from the god Mithras, although there is another deity that looks similar. Have you started thinking about the title: “Progress Bringing Light to Asia”? Or replace “progress” with “Egypt”? And then we remembered the popular painting in France “Freedom on the Barricades” by the romantic painter Eugene Delacroix. The word “freedom” was already temptingly attached to the statue project, but the government refused to spend money on a gigantic idol - so Bartholdi returned to France empty-handed.

French incarnation

Eugene Delacroix "Freedom on the Barricades"

The time of creation of the statue coincides with Bartholdi’s entry into the Masonic lodge (Alsace-Lorraine branch) - it was 1875.

And 1876 was approaching—the centenary of American independence. Having heard complaints in a political circle about the lack of genuine masterpieces of art dedicated to Freedom in America, the French senator and member of the same Order of Freemasons, Edouard de Laboulaye, decided to revive the project that had failed in Egypt. All this, of course, had to be correctly presented to the masses: it was decided to “donate” the statue to the States “as a sign of friendship between the peoples of the two countries.”

But the “gift” had to be paid for - both by French and overseas ordinary citizens. An entire Franco-American Union, headed by Laboulaye, was urgently established, and committees were organized in both countries to organize fundraising. Moreover, the head of the French headquarters was none other than our old friend - Ferdinand Lesseps! The fundraising campaign in the States was led by Joseph Pulitzer, later known as the creator of the most prestigious journalism award, and then also the publisher of the New York World newspaper. He, with an understanding of all the subtleties of influencing the masses, criticized rednecks and moneybags, turning to ordinary Americans (the businessman was no mistake - this significantly increased the circulation of his newspaper). No one will tell us exactly how much money the friendly gentlemen laundered through this good cause, but in the USA alone, $100,000 was withdrawn from circulation in this way.

The main work on the creation of the statue was done by the famous French engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel (Bonnickhausen), then known for his adventure in embezzling huge funds for fictitious work during the construction of the Panama Canal, but became famous thanks to the construction in the center of Paris.

Eiffel was also a member of the Masonic lodge, and another lodge brother, who at that time served as Prime Minister of France, helped him get out of the Panama scam.

French engineer Gustav Alexandre Eiffel (left) and Auguste Bartholdi (right)

Eiffel made all the calculations and also designed the iron support of the monument and the supporting frame, which was then covered with metal sheets. Then Bartholdi took up the matter again and added several modern details: at the feet of the statue he placed “broken chains of tyranny,” more like the chains with which the statue itself was bound.

He placed the Book of Laws (Declaration of Independence) in his left hand and dressed the now “lady” in Roman clothes.

Some believe that Bartholdi gave her the facial features of his mother, Charlotte Beiser, although the model was the recently widowed Isabella Boyer, the wife of Isaac Singer, an entrepreneur in the field of canal equipment and sewing machines, who sponsored Jewish socialists along with Rothschild.

“Liberty Enlightens the World” has been greeting all travelers arriving in New York Harbor for more than a hundred years, and is one of the world’s most famous monuments, a symbol of the United States.

History of the Statue of Liberty

Soon after the end of the American Civil War, the French scientist and writer Edouard de Laboulaye, who admired the ideas of the American system of statehood, came up with the idea of ​​​​creating a monument that personified the independence of the United States.

The idea was picked up by another Frenchman, Frederic Bartholdi (architect of the Statue of Liberty), who at that time was working on creating a sculpture of a woman with a torch in her hand. Already in 1870, the French sculptor made the first sketches of the monument, with which he sent to the USA for approval of the project. The project finds approval from the American side (including from Ulysses Grant, who was then President of the United States), and representatives of the two powers (France and the United States) decide to begin construction of a monument called “Freedom Enlightening the World.”

With mutual consent of the parties, it is decided that the monument will be a gift to the United States from France on the centenary of the Declaration of Independence of the United States - July 4, 1876. According to the agreement between the countries, the sculpture itself was to be designed by the French side, and the American side would work on the creation of the pedestal.

However, the construction of the monument lasted for 10 long years...

Hand with a torch

After starting work on the project, it becomes clear that there is a catastrophic lack of money to create the monument. On both sides of the ocean, the initiators of the project begin collecting funds for construction, and various charity events are organized.

In August 1876, Bartholdi was forced to bring part of the sculpture (a hand with a torch) to the USA, where the fragment was installed at the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia, and then in Madison Square. Visitors are charged a fee to visit the Torch Hand, but the proceeds are still not enough to complete the construction.

The US Congress refuses to allocate funds for the construction of the monument, citing the plight of American finances and the untimeliness of erecting an “allegorical” monument, while the country needs monuments to the heroes of the Civil War.

Young journalist Joseph Pulitzer comes to the rescue, launching a large-scale campaign in the press to raise funds for the monument. The journalist calls on Americans to unite, fiercely criticizes those who are indifferent, and promises to write about everyone who makes even a small donation. The campaign was a success and after a few months the required amount was collected.

The fragment returns to France, where Bartholdi begins to work hard on the project: by 1878, the sculptor had already completed the head of the sculpture, and in 1879, Gustave Eiffel was involved in the creation of the monument. It was this talented engineer who designed the steel frame of the statue and the spiral staircases leading to the crown. Bartholdi and his assistants produced 350 cladding parts that were supposed to fit onto the frame. The parts were made of copper, which is easy to cut and bend, which made it possible to “fit” the parts directly during the process of assembling the structure.

The figure of Liberty was hung by the French in 1884, after which the structure was dismantled, and all parts of the sculpture were transported by ship in June 1885 to the United States.
The American side also did not waste time: the pedestal of the statue, designed by Richard Hunt, began to be erected in 1883. With the consent of Congress and taking into account the wishes of Bartholdi, Fort Wood, which had the shape of an eleven-pointed star, and was located on Bedloe Island in the harbor, was chosen as the site for the installation of the statue.

In April 1986, the pedestal was completed and assembly of the complete monument structure began. Finally, on October 26, 1886, the inauguration of the Statue of Liberty took place: President Cleveland, after the parade, went to Bedloe Island, where, amid general rejoicing, he tore down the French flag covering the statue and proclaimed that “Liberty itself has chosen this place as its home!”

general description

Three kilometers from busy Manhattan, in the bay, the majestic Statue of Liberty greets all guests, travelers and citizens.

The monumental monument, 93 meters high, consists of the female figure itself (46 meters) and a concrete pedestal (47 meters). The female figure holds a torch in her right hand, and in her left hand she clutches a tablet on which the date of Independence Day of the United States is carved in Latin letters.

At the foot of the monument lies a broken chain, symbolizing the cast off of the shackles of slavery and the victory of democracy. The crown has windows symbolizing the rays of the sun and the precious stones of the earth. To get to the windows you need to climb 354 steps, and if you climb just to the top of the pedestal - 194 steps. There is an elevator inside the pedestal.

The total weight is over 200 tons (including the cement base, copper coating and steel frame), and the length of the Statue of Liberty is 93 meters (including the pedestal).

At the bottom of the pedestal there is a bronze plate with poems by Emma Lazarus, which appeared here in 1903. The poetess's words were written after a wave of pogroms that swept across Europe in the late 1880s, after which crowds of immigrants poured to the shores of America in the hope of finding a new homeland. The poems convey the idea of ​​the Statue of Liberty - the willingness to take under one’s roof all the outcasts and the disadvantaged, and the promise to give them freedom and equality on this shore.

The visit to Liberty Island and the Statue itself is free, but you can only get to it by water - on ferries and boats, where you will have to pay a certain amount for the trip. You can get to the Statue itself freely, but the number of visitors is strictly fixed. If you do not book a ticket in advance, your visit will be limited to a walk around the pedestal and a climb to the observation deck, where you can see the Statue from the inside through a special glass ceiling.

The Statue of Liberty is open to visitors all year round, but it is better to take a tour in the warm season - in winter, a boat trip will bring very dubious extreme pleasures due to the cold northern winds characteristic of this time of year.

Interesting Facts

The history of the Statue of Liberty is integral to the history of the United States itself, so it is accompanied by a lot of amazing and entertaining facts:

• The personification of the friendship of two peoples: French and American, which formed the basis for the creation of the monument, was happily forgotten over time. Now the Statue of Liberty is presented in the world exclusively as the main symbol of the United States, personifying the victory of democracy and the independence of the country.
• The seven rays emanating from the crown are the seven seas and continents of light, from which travelers sail to America, hoping to find refuge and a new homeland. This is a symbol of hope for all the persecuted, disadvantaged, a haven for sailors and refugees from all countries of the world.
• Initially, Bartholdi worked on creating a female figure with a torch in her hand to install it at the entrance to the Suez Canal - this project was never realized, but served as a prototype for another monument. The Statue of Liberty combines two images - the goddess of freedom of ancient Rome, Libertas, and the symbol of Colombia.
• The characteristic green color of the statue is given by sheets of cladding made of copper. Initially, projects were proposed to clean the surface, but then they decided not to touch the skin that protects the statue from further destructive corrosion.
• Initially, the Statue of Liberty was supposed to be used as a lighthouse, but the lamps built into the structure were not very powerful. Having found no practical use for the Statue, the government's lighthouse department transferred the monument to the United States War Department in 1901. Already in 1933, the monument was transferred to the US National Park Service.
• Bedloe Island, previously considered a slum area, significantly changed its status with the establishment of the monument, and in 1956 it was renamed Liberty Island, and 10 years later it was included in the United States National Register of Historic Places.
• For the 100th anniversary of the creation of the monument, a thorough reconstruction of the monument was carried out (sea spray and cold winds thoroughly spoiled the appearance of the Statue), initiated by President Reagan. This time, funds for reconstruction were raised among American citizens in the shortest possible time, and more than covered the two million dollars spent on repairs.
• Access to visitors has been closed several times since the installation of the Statue: from 1982 to 1986 (reconstruction), from September 2001 to the end of 2004 (due to the threat of terrorist attacks), and in October 2013 (during the government shutdown ).
• After the successful Normandy operation, the lights of the lighthouse on the statue broadcast the news of victory to the whole world in Morse code.

UNESCO listed the American statue as a World Heritage Site in 1984, describing it as a symbol of peace, celebrating the power of the human spirit, the abolition of slavery, the victory of democracy and human rights.

The erected Statue of Liberty became at the beginning of the twentieth century the personification of independence, prosperity, and free life for many travelers who crossed the Atlantic in search of a better life.

Categories

• . And in 6 states there is not a single city where more than 99,999 people live. US cities can be called unique because they all differ from each other not only in climatic and historical indicators, but also because almost every city has its own individual ethnic composition. A large number of immigrants from all over the world created settlements and, settling in the United States, gave the existing culture their own flavor. It may be precisely because of this that not a single language has been officially approved in the United States, but the most common is English in the American style. Los Angeles is the 2nd largest city in the USA. The names of US cities are symbolic, but some may seem unusual to us, to put it mildly. For example, Big Ugly, which we will translate as “Big and Ugly.” And on the map of the USA there are as many as three cities bearing the official name “Santa Claus”. Many other things may seem strange in the cities of the USA. For example, the fact that almost 1/3 of the cleaners, janitors and waiters here have a complete higher education, but they are not at all embarrassed about this kind of work. Or the fact that no one prohibits minors from smoking by law, but it is absolutely forbidden to sell them cigarettes. The world's first skyscraper, a local TV channel, the first parking lot and traffic light system, the highest mountain and a large freshwater lake - all these are the advantages of different cities in the USA, therefore there are plenty of reasons to visit each of them. 10 “most” cities in America You can’t argue that every city in the States is unique, but among them it is still possible to identify leaders according to one or another criteria: the oldest city in the USA is St. Augustine, which was founded in 1565 in the state of Florida; The city, the largest in area, is Sitka. It occupies almost 7.5 square meters. km in the state of Alaska; The largest population lives in New York - more than 8 million people. But in this same city the strictest definition of the boundaries of each district is observed; the most populous cities are located in California; the very first city in which a cinema opened was Los Angeles, which happened in 1902; the city with the “lowest” buildings, that is, without the high-rise buildings familiar to America, is Washington. The height of each building, except the Capitol, does not exceed 40 m; the largest outflow of population was observed in the city of Detroit. In the middle of the 20th century, almost 2 million people lived in it, and today - less than 700 thousand. By the way, this is the city with the most intense criminal situation in the United States; the poorest city in the States is Allen, simply more than 95% of its population are Indians; the very first city to have electricity was Wabash, Indiana; The most “British” city in the USA is Byron. 5.3% of its residents were born in the UK. ">Cities 5
• and cultural-historical (were created by man in a relatively short history of the development of this land. Miraculous wonders of American nature Times Square Of the many historical monuments, it is recommended to visit Times Square, the Golden Gate Bridge, Walt Disney Amusement Park, the Pentagon, the White House, the Empire State Building and , of course, the symbols of the USA - the Statue of Liberty and Mount Rushmore. Disneyland - the world's largest amusement park - is located in Florida. It unites thematic kingdoms, each of which lives a fairy tale for children and adults. The White House Times Square is an iconic place in New York. Just over 100 years ago, construction of the American subway began on this site. The square was named after the New York Times, the most widely read American newspaper, the publishing house of which is located here. The White House in Washington is the main building of America. It houses the state governments "The complex of buildings is surrounded by gardens that were created by the first ladies of the country. A lot of other interesting places can be seen with your own eyes when visiting the United States."> Attractions2
• National parks 1
• and cities equal to them in status. There are more than 3 thousand districts in total. Districts are governed by municipalities, whose rights are determined individually by each state. The United States also includes the District of Columbia, where the capital of the state is located - the city of Washington. In cooperation with the United States there are several independent territories, which can later become full states or terminate relations. These include Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Eastern Samoa, among other regions. How many states are there in the USA? State of AlaskaThe list of US states consists of fifty items. When the federation was formed, thirteen colonies became part of the state. The remaining states joined voluntarily, or as a result of commercial transactions or hostilities. Among them there are record holders. In terms of maximum area, the first place is occupied by snowy Alaska, acquired from the Russian Empire at the end of the 19th century. The most populous state is sunny and warm California, more than 35 million residents.">States 1

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The Statue of Liberty was built on October 28, 1886. The French gave the statue to the American people as a sign of friendship between France and America. Over the past years, the monument has been recognized not only as the personification of the friendship of the two peoples (which has been relegated far to the background), but also as a symbol of the freedom of the American people, a symbol of the USA and New York as a whole.

The creation of the monument was entrusted to the sculptor and architect Frederic Bartholdi. A deadline was set - the monument had to be completed by 1876, coinciding with the centenary of the US Declaration of Independence. It is believed that this is a joint French-American project. The Americans worked on the pedestal, and the statue itself was created in France. In New York, all parts of the Statue of Liberty were assembled into a single whole.

After construction began, it became clear that much more funds were needed than originally planned. A large-scale fundraising campaign, lotteries, charity concerts, and other events were initiated on both sides of the ocean. When calculating the design parameters of the huge Bartholdi statue, the help of an experienced engineer was required. Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, creator of the Eiffel Tower, personally designed the strong iron support and frame that allows the copper shell of the statue to move freely while maintaining the balance of the monument itself.

Pictured: Alexander Gustav Eiffel

After September 11, 2001, the statue and island were closed due to terrorist threats, but tours were resumed in 2009. You can climb onto the statue itself and its crown, but the torch is still closed. All visitors are subject to personal search in order to avoid a terrorist attack.

An interesting fact is that a wind of 100 km/h will cause the monument to sway 7.62 cm, while the torch will sway 12.7 cm. During the solemn speech at the unveiling ceremony of the statue on October 28, 1886, President Grover Cleveland made the following speech:

“We will always remember that Liberty chose this place as her home, and her altar will never be covered by oblivion.”

The Statue of Liberty, one of the most famous sculptures in the United States and the world, reopened on July 4, Independence Day, after repairs and work to clean up the aftermath of Atlantic Hurricane Sandy, which hit the country's coast last fall. The symbol of New York and the United States is a gift from the people of France for the centennial of the American Revolution in 1886.

This issue contains photographs that tell the story of the Statue of Liberty from its birth in Paris to the present day.

The French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi was commissioned to create the statue. It was conceived as a gift for the centenary of the Declaration of Independence in 1876. According to one version, Bartholdi even had a French model.

His first project failed

Studio in Paris, 1875.

By mutual agreement, America was to build the pedestal, and France was to create the statue and install it in the United States. However, there was a shortage of money on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. In France, charitable donations, along with various entertainment events and a lottery, raised 2.25 million francs. In the United States, theatrical performances, art exhibitions, auctions and boxing matches were held to raise funds.

Left: The hand and torch of the Statue of Liberty are created in a studio in Paris, 1876. Right: The head of the Statue of Liberty is being created in a Paris studio, 1880.

Meanwhile, in France, the sculptor Bartholdi needed the help of an engineer to solve the design issues associated with the construction of such a giant copper sculpture. Gustave Eiffel (the future creator of the Eiffel Tower) was commissioned to design the massive steel support.

Workers creating a Statue in a Paris workshop, 1882.

The statue was completed by the French in July 1884. Here she stands near the workshop of the sculptor Bartholdi in Paris.

She was transported to New York on June 17, 1885, aboard the French frigate Isere. For transportation, the statue was disassembled into 350 parts and packed into 214 boxes. The location for the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor, approved by an Act of Congress in 1877, was chosen by General William Sherman, taking into account the wishes of Bartholdi himself, on Bedloe's Island, where a star-shaped fort had stood since the beginning of the 19th century.

The inauguration of the Statue of Liberty, which was attended by US President Grover Cleveland, took place on October 28, 1886 in the presence of thousands of spectators.

New York, 1930. The Statue of Liberty is often called “the symbol of New York and the USA”, “the symbol of freedom and democracy”, “Lady Liberty”.

The ocean liner Queen Mary and the Statue of Liberty, June 1, 1936. A few numbers. The height from the ground to the top of the torch of the Statue of Liberty is 92.99 m, the height of the statue is 33.86 m, the height from the ground to the top of the pedestal is 46.94 m.

Bedlow Island, where the Statue of Liberty was installed, was a slum area. Congressmen asked for $1,000,000 to clear the area on the island. New York, March 5, 1948.

On September 7, 1937, the national monument was enlarged to cover all of Bedlow Island, which was renamed Liberty Island in 1956. Photo: Visitors looking out from the crown of the Statue, October 26, 1946.

In May 1982, President Ronald Reagan ordered the collection of money and restoration of the Statue of Liberty. $87 million was raised for restoration. On July 4, 1984, restoration began.

Restoration of the Statue of Liberty, 1984.

Let's take a look inside. The frame and various supporting structures are visible here, 1984.

Metal frame and spiral staircase inside the Statue, 1988.

Old torch of the Statue of Liberty.

This is a new torch and a view of Manhattan, 1985.

At the beginning of the restoration work, the Statue of Liberty was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. On July 5, 1986, the restored Statue of Liberty was reopened to the public during Liberty Weekend celebrating her centennial.

The statue and island were closed from September 11, 2001 to August 3, 2004, following the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.

Statue of Liberty and lower Manhattan, October 26, 2006. By the way, there are Statues of Liberty in other cities. Most copies of the Statue of Liberty are located in its homeland - France. There are four of them in Paris.

After the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001, the Statue and its crown were reopened for tours only on July 4, 2009. Visitors to Liberty Island and the Statue are still subject to restrictions, including body searches similar to airport security checks.

The Statue of Liberty and the Space Shuttle Discovery flying on the back of the mighty, specially equipped Boeing 747 airliner, April 27, 2012.

In October 2012, the Atlantic hurricane Sandy made a devastating march across the North American continent, one way or another paralyzing the life of 13 states. The statue itself, over 33 meters high, withstood the hurricane, the consequences of which in New York have not yet been fully eliminated, but Liberty Island suffered severe flooding and disruptions in the power supply system. Tens of millions of dollars were spent on restoration work.

Following restoration work, the Statue of Liberty reopened to the general public on July 4, 2013.