Post about sculpture Statue of Liberty. Statue of Liberty in New York. What is it made of

Statue of Liberty in New York City -

symbol of America.

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


A monument was erected on a small island in New York Harbor. The statue is truly imposing: the height from the ground to the tip of the torch is 93 m (from a 31-storey 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 was built from thin sheets of copper, minted in wooden molds. The formed sheets are mounted 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 strong foundation and foundation, the statue sways slightly in the wind.

The idea of ​​creating this symbol originated from the French scientist, lawyer and supporter of the abolition of slavery, Edouard René Lefebvre de Laboulaye, back in the late 1860s. He proceeded from the fact that America and France are linked by friendly ties. He also suggested that, as a sign of friendship with America, give her a certain symbolic gift from the French people.


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 the representatives of America.
Then the statue was taken apart and transported to the United States.


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

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


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


There are 25 windows in the crown, which symbolize earthly gems 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.

Previous photo Next photo

Perhaps, not only a Native American, but also any inhabitant of our planet, when asked what is the symbol of the United States, without hesitation, will answer: the Statue of Liberty. It is no coincidence that this particular monument is most often seen in American cinema; it is no coincidence that, being tourists, we buy up in souvenir shops and take home copies of the Statue of Liberty.

Emphasizing the greatness of the monument, the Statue of Liberty is often compared to the Colossus of Rhodes, an ancient Greek statue that has not survived to this day. Poetess Emma Lazarus wrote a sonnet "New Colossus" on the day of the opening of the Statue of Liberty. Since 1903, a special tablet with the lines of this work has adorned the pedestal of the monument.

By the way, not everyone knows that the full name of the Statue of Liberty sounds like "Liberty Enlightening the World". The 46-meter (93-meter pedestal) Statue of Liberty, proudly towering on the island of the same name, is a gift presented to the United States on behalf of the French people, who once supported the Americans in their struggle for independence. The idea of ​​creating the Statue of Liberty as a symbol of independence and democracy was born in 1865 and belongs to the famous French scientist and lawyer Edouard René Lefebvre de Laboulaye. The concept of the monument was developed by the French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi.

The original model of the Statue of Liberty was made by Bartholdi in 1870; today this first copy of the legendary monument can be seen in the Luxembourg Gardens near the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

Place for the Statue of Liberty or an interesting fact

In which corner of American soil the monument will rise, Bartholdi chose. In his opinion, it was simply impossible to find a place more ideal than Bedlow Island, located 3 km southwest of the southern border of Manhattan. However, historians lift the curtain and reveal to us some secrets.

It turns out that Bartholdi perfectly represented his giant sculpture not only on an island near New York, but also in Port Said, located in the Suez Canal, which connects the Red and Mediterranean Seas. The project "Egypt Bringing Light to Asia" was not destined to come true, but Bartholdi's works were not in vain, the sculptor successfully realized his idea in the United States, moreover, the builder of the Suez Canal Lessens was put in charge of the committee for the creation of the Statue of Liberty in the United States ...

A bit of history

The project for the erection of a monument on Bedlow Island was approved by the US Congress only in 1877, and this despite the fact that, according to the plan of the French, the unusual present was supposed to be ready by the hundredth anniversary of the signing of the US Declaration of Independence, that is, by July 4, 1876. However, the fundraising was delayed, and by this time only a copper hand with a torch was ready, which was sheltered in New York on Madison Square until the completion of work on the statue. By July 1878, Lady Liberty's head was ready. At the same time, the head was presented at an exhibition at the Museum of Arts and Crafts in Paris.

It is worth noting that the funds for the construction of the monument were collected by all possible ways: balls, sporting events, exhibitions and lotteries were organized. The eloquent Pulitzer, publisher of the New-York World newspaper, provided significant help in financing the construction of the monument.

The first presentation of the finished Statue of Liberty took place on July 4, 1884 in France, after which the monument was dismantled and sent to the United States. The Statue of Liberty arrived in New York on July 17, 1885. The assembly of the monument took about 4 months. However, the official opening of the Statue of Liberty in New York by US President Grover Cleveland took place only on October 28, 1886. Only men attended the opening ceremony. And this despite the fact that the Statue of Liberty is a symbol of democracy. As an exception, only Lessens' eight-year-old daughter and Bartholdi's wife were allowed on the island that day.

By the way, Bedlow Island was officially renamed Liberty Island only in 1956, although Bartholdi suggested doing this back in the 19th century, 80 years before the event.

Statue of Liberty inside and out

The Statue of Liberty is a steel frame with a total weight of 125 tons. Gustav Eiffel was invited to design and build the steel structure, and Maurice Kechlin continued his work. The frame is built in such a way that inside the monument you can easily move around and even climb up spiral staircases. The main observation deck, located in the crown, is 354 steps away. From there, 25 gem-symbolized windows offer amazing views of New York Harbor. By the way, the seven rays of the crown symbolize the seven seas and seven continents, as is commonly believed in the West.

The top of the steel skeleton is covered with copper sheets, skillfully minted in wooden molds, only 2.37 mm thick and with a total weight of 31 tons. Copper plates spliced ​​together form the silhouette of the statue. By the way, copper was supplied to France from Russia. It is worth noting that one leg of the statue stands on the broken chains - this is how Bartholdi symbolically showed the acquisition of freedom. The plaque in the left hand of the Statue of Liberty indicates the date of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776: JULY IV MDCCLXXVI.

The monument's plinth was designed by the American architect Richard Morris Hunt. Work on its construction began in the summer of 1885 and was completed in April 1886. The cement base of the Statue of Liberty weighs 27 thousand tons. To get to the top of the pedestal, you need to climb 192 steps. There is a museum inside the pedestal, which can be reached by elevator.

In 1924, the Statue of Liberty was ranked as a national monument, in the 30s of the 20th century, the entire island of Bedlow (Liberty) passed into the status national park... In 1984, the UN declared the Island of Liberty and the legendary monument located on it as a monument of world importance.

The Statue of Liberty has been repeatedly restored, new lighting elements have been added. Currently, the monument is equipped with laser illumination.

Who is Lady Liberty?

Who was Bartholdi's model, whose face illuminates the world? Whom has the great sculptor captured in the image of the Roman Goddess Libertas forever and ever? Surely, these questions are being asked by the Americans themselves and by guests from all over the world.

On this score, there are two opinions. Someone thinks that Bartholdi captured in his work the face of the Frenchwoman Isabella Boyer, the widow of Isaac Singer. Others are of the opinion that the Statue of Liberty inherited the image of the sculptor's mother, Charlotte. Which opinion is true, still remains a mystery, which is unlikely to ever be able to unravel.

How to get there

Over 4 million tourists from all over the world visit the Statue of Liberty annually. The entrance to the National Park of the island is free, however, to get to it you will have to spend money on the ferry, as well as go through a thorough inspection at the marinas.

Ferries leave from New York. You can go on a trip to the Statue of Liberty from Battery Park in Manhattan, or from Liberty State Park in Jersey City. The entrance to the statue is free, for the ferry you will have to pay 25 USD for adults, 15 USD for children 4-12 years old. Prices on the page are for September 2018.

Since 1984, the Statue of Liberty has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The sculpture is a gift from France for the 1876 World's Fair and the centenary of American independence. The statue holds a torch in its right hand and a tablet in its left. The inscription on the tablet reads “Eng. JULY IV MDCCLXXVI "(written in Roman numerals the date" July 4, 1776 "), this date is the date of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence of the United States. With one foot "Svoboda" stands 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 gems 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 has exactly seven continents).

The total weight of the copper used to cast the statue is 31 tons, and the total weight of its steel structure is 125 tons. The total weight of the concrete base is 27,000 tons. The thickness of the copper coating of the statue is 2.57 mm.

Height from ground to torch tip is 93 meters including base and pedestal. The height of the statue itself, from the top of the pedestal to the torch, is 46 meters.

The statue was built from thin sheets of copper, minted in wooden molds. The formed sheets were then mounted on a steel frame.

The statue is usually open to visitors, usually arriving by ferry. The crown, which can be accessed by stairs, offers expansive views of New York Harbor. The museum, housed in a pedestal, houses an exhibition of the history of the statue. The museum can be reached by lift.

The territory of Liberty Island originally belonged to the state of New Jersey, was later administered by New York, and is currently under federal administration. Until 1956, the island was called Bedlow Island. Bedloe "s Island), although it was also called the "Island of Freedom" since the beginning of the 20th century.

Statue of Liberty in numbers

Inside the crown of the statue

View of the statue from afar

Making the statue

The idea of ​​creating the monument is attributed to Édouard Rene Lefebvre de Laboulay, a prominent French thinker, writer and politician, president of the French anti-slavery society. According to French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, it was expressed in a conversation with him in mid-1865 under the impression of the victory of the anti-slavery forces in the American Civil War. Although this was not a specific proposal, the idea inspired the sculptor.

The repressive political situation during the reign of Napoleon III in France did not allow the implementation of the idea. In the late 1860s, Bartholdi for some time managed to get interested in the construction of a huge statue reminiscent of the Colossus of Rhodes, the ruler of Egypt, Ismail Pasha. The statue was originally planned to be installed in Port Said under the name The Light of Asia, but eventually the Egyptian government decided that transporting the structure from France and installing it was too costly for the Egyptian economy.

It was conceived as a gift for the centenary of the Declaration of Independence in 1876. By mutual agreement, America was to build a pedestal, and France to create a statue and install it in the United States. However, the lack of money was felt on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. In France, charitable donations, along with various entertainment events and the lottery, raised 2.25 million francs. In the United States, theatrical performances, art exhibitions, auctions and boxing matches have been held to raise funds.

Bartholdi was commissioned to create the statue. According to one version, Bartholdi even had a French model: the beautiful, recently widowed Isabella Boyer, the wife of Isaac Singer, the creator and entrepreneur in the field of sewing machines.

Meanwhile, in France, Bartholdi needed the help of an engineer to solve design issues related to the construction of such a giant copper sculpture. Gustave Eiffel (future creator of the Eiffel Tower) was tasked with designing a massive steel leg and intermediate support frame that would allow the statue's copper shell to move freely while maintaining an upright position. Eiffel handed over the detailed designs to his assistant, an experienced structural engineer, Maurice Kechlin. The copper for the statue was purchased from the existing stock at the company's warehouses. Société des métaux entrepreneur Eugene Sekretana... Its origin has not been documented, but research in 1985 showed that it was mainly mined in Norway on the island of Karmoy. The legend about the supply of copper from the Russian Empire (Ufa and Nizhny Tagil) was tested by enthusiasts, but did not find documentary confirmation. It is also noteworthy that the concrete base under the statue is made of German cement. Dickerhoff won a tender to supply cement for the foundation of the Statue of Liberty in New York, which was to become the world's largest concrete structure at the time.

Even before the completion of the design work, Bartholdi organized in the workshop Gaget, Gauthier & Co the beginning of work on the right hand of the statue holding a torch.

In May 1876, Bartholdi participated in the French delegation at the World's Fair in Philadelphia and organized the display of numerous paintings of the statue at the festivities in New York dedicated to this exhibition. Due to the late registration, the hand of the statue was not included in the catalogs of the exhibits; nevertheless, it was shown to visitors and made a strong impression. Visitors had access to the torch balcony, from where they could admire the panorama of the exhibition complex. In reports, she was called "Colossal Hand" and "Bartholdi's Electric Light". After the end of the exhibition, the hand with the torch was transported from Philadelphia to New York and was installed in Madison Square, where it stood for several years until it was temporarily returned to France to be connected with the rest of the statue.

The site for the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor, approved by the Act of Congress of 1877, was chosen by General William Sherman, taking into account the wishes of Bartholdi himself, on Bedlow Island, where from the beginning of the 19th century there was a fort in the shape of a star.

Fundraising for the pedestal progressed slowly, and Joseph Pulitzer (known for the Pulitzer Prize) in his newspaper "World" made an appeal to support fundraising for the project.

By August 1885, funding problems for the pedestal designed by American architect Richard Morris Hunt had been resolved and the foundation stone was laid on August 5. Construction was completed on April 22, 1886. The massive stonework of the pedestal has two square lintels made of steel beams; they are connected by steel anchor beams that extend upward to become part of the Eiffelian (reminiscent of the frame of the Eiffel Tower) frame of the statue itself. Thus, the statue and the pedestal are one.

The statue was completed by the French in July 1884 and delivered to New York harbor on June 17, 1885 aboard the French frigate Ysere. For transportation, the statue was disassembled into 350 pieces and packed in 214 boxes. (Her right hand with a torch, completed earlier, had already been exhibited at the World's Fair in Philadelphia, and then in Madison Square, New York.) The statue was assembled on its new base in four months. The inauguration of the Statue of Liberty, attended by US President Grover Cleveland, took place on October 28, 1886 in the presence of thousands of spectators. As a French gift for the centenary of the American Revolution, it was ten years late.

The Statue of Liberty National Monument officially celebrated its centenary on October 28, 1986.

Statue as a cultural monument

The statue was placed on a granite pedestal inside Fort Wood, built for the war of 1812, whose walls are lined in the shape of a star. The US Lighthouse Service was responsible for maintaining the statue until 1901. After 1901, this mission was entrusted to the War Department. By presidential decree of October 15, 1924, Fort Wood (and the statue on its territory) was declared a National Monument, the boundaries of which coincided with the boundaries of the fort.

On October 28, 1936, at the 50th anniversary of the unveiling of the statue, US President Franklin Roosevelt said: “Freedom and peace are living things. In order for them to continue to exist, each generation must protect them and put new life into them. "

Liberty Island

In 1933, the maintenance of the national monument was transferred to the National Park Service. On September 7, 1937, the area of ​​the national monument was enlarged and expanded to cover the entire Bedlow Island, which was renamed Liberty Island in 1956. On May 11, 1965, Ellis Island was also transferred to the National Park Service and became part of the Statue of Liberty National Memorial. In May 1982, President Ronald Reagan commissioned Lee Iacocca to lead a private sector movement to restore the Statue of Liberty. The restoration raised $ 87 million in a partnership between the National Park Service and the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Corporation, the most successful public-private partnership in American history. In 1984, at the beginning of its restoration work, the Statue of Liberty was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. On July 5, the restored Statue of Liberty was reopened to the public during its centenary Liberty Weekend.

Statue and security

The torch staircase was closed for security reasons in 1916. In 1986, the statue was rebuilt, and its destroyed and corroded torch was moved to the main entrance and replaced with a new one covered in 24-carat gold.

The statue, including the pedestal and base, was closed on October 29, 2011, the day after the 125th anniversary of the statue, for the installation of new elevators and staircases. Although the Statue of Liberty has been closed to the public, Liberty Island remains open to the public. Exactly one year after the closure for repairs and the installation of a new complex escalator, from October 28, 2012, full access to the statue was opened up to the crown.

Images of the statue are widely used in the symbolism of regional organizations and institutions in the United States. In New York State, its outline was on vehicle license plates between 1986 and 2000. The New York Liberty, a professional women's basketball club serving in the Eastern Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association, uses the Statue's name in its name and its image in its emblem, which associates the statue's flame with basketball. The Liberty Head has been featured on the NHL New York Rangers' additional kits since 1997. The National Collegiate Athletic Association used the symbolic image of the statue for the 1996 men's basketball final. The US Libertarian Party emblem uses a stylized image of the Torch of Freedom.

Reproductions

Hundreds of reproductions are on display in various parts of the world. A quarter-size copy of the original, given to the city of Paris by the American Society, is set facing west towards the main statue on the Swan Isle of the Seine. The nine-meter replica that has graced the top of the Liberty Warehouse on Manhattan's 64th Street for many years is now on display at the Brooklyn Museum. The organization of American Scouts donated about two hundred copies of stamped copper, 2.5 m high, to various American states and municipalities during their 40th anniversary celebrations in 1949–1952.

see also

  • Statue of Liberty in Moscow (1918-1941).

Other highest sculptures

Notes (edit)

  1. Statue of Liberty (in New York City). Lopatin V.V., Nechaeva I.V., Cheltsova L.K. Uppercase or lowercase? Orthographic dictionary. - M.: Eksmo, 2009 .-- S. 423 .-- 512 p.
  2. USIA. Portrait of the USA: The Statue of Liberty (unavailable link - story) ... Retrieved May 29, 2006. Archived June 30, 2004.
  3. Liberty Island (island, New York, United States). Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
  4. , pp. 7-9.

The world's most recognizable symbol of New York and the United States is the monumental Statue of Liberty. The full name of the sculpture is "Liberty Enlightening the World".

The statue rises in New York Harbor, on Liberty Island, located 3 km from the south coast of the always bustling Manhattan. In honor of the statue, the former Bedlow Island was popularly called as early as the beginning of the 19th century; it was officially renamed in 1956.

The sculptural image of the Goddess of Liberty is deeply symbolic. The inscription on the tablet, which Liberty holds in his left hand: "JULY IV MDCCLXXVI" - "July 4, 1776" is the official date of the adoption of the US Declaration of Independence. The goddess stands on broken chains with one foot. The Crown of Liberty has seven rays - this number has something in common with the number of continents and seas (seven - according to Western geographical tradition).

Monuments-copies of Bartholdi's Statue of Liberty can now be found in different countries of the world. The most famous of them are located in Paris, Tokyo and Las Vegas.

Weight and height of the Statue of Liberty in the USA

According to various sources, the weight of the copper in the statue is from 27.22 to 31 tons, the weight of the steel structure is 113.4-125 tons. The total weight of the Statue of Liberty is over 200 tons.

The height of the Statue of Liberty in New York is 93 meters, it includes a concrete-steel pedestal and a 46-meter female figure with a torch in her right hand and a tablet in her left.

There is a lift inside the pedestal. To climb to the Crown of Liberty from the level of her feet, you need to overcome 377 steps.

Contrary to popular belief, in terms of its height, the Statue of Liberty in the United States is not among the ten tallest monuments in the world. However, taking into account the pedestal, it ranks 6-8 in the list of the largest monuments (depending on the classification), it is the tallest statue in the United States.

History of the Statue of Liberty

France is the country that donated the Statue of Liberty to the United States for the centenary of the American Revolution.

Copper neoclassical sculpture designed by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi. The supporting structure was carefully thought out by Gustave Eiffel and his assistant engineer Maurice Kechlin. According to the agreement, the monument was erected by the American side according to the project of R. M. Hunt.

The site for the monument in the harbor of New York was approved by Congress in 1877, taking into account the wishes of the sculptor Bartholdi, who chose the island, which sailed by all ships arriving in New York.

For a number of reasons, the statue was installed later than the anniversary date. Funding problems were relevant for both countries. To attract investors, the right hand with a torch was first completed: they were exhibited at the 1876 Philadelphia World's Fair in 1876, and then exhibited in New York's Madison Square.

The French part of the monument - the Figure of Liberty - was completed in 1884. The frigate Ysere delivered the statue to New York on June 17, 1885. 350 components of the future design were packed in 214 boxes. The assembly took about 4 months.

The opening of the Statue of Liberty on October 28 was accompanied by a solemn parade on the streets of New York. The ceremony on the island was attended by senior politicians under the chairmanship of US President Stephen Grover Cleveland. The first stone of the pedestal was laid by the builders on August 5, 1885. To strengthen the structure, steel lintels and anchor beams extending upward (like the frame of the Eiffel Tower) were built into the masonry to mount the statue.

The characteristic green coating of copper has been covering the statue since about 1900, and natural oxidation protects the metal from the weather.

Since 1933, the statue has been administered by the United States National Park Service (NPS).

During the Second World War, the symbolic attraction remained open to tourists, but was not illuminated at night. On the day of the successful Normandy operation, June 6, 1944, the lights of the lighthouse statue conveyed the message of victory (the letter V in Morse code).

In 1946, the inside of the statue was covered with a special plastic within the reach of visitors, from which the inscriptions can be easily washed off.

The original torch of the Statue of Liberty is now in the museum inside the pedestal. As you know, it was badly damaged as a result of the explosion on the Black Tom Peninsula in 1916, later modernized, but still required restoration, since water began to penetrate into the monument through it. As part of a large-scale restoration in 1984, the torch was replaced with its exact historical copy: it reflects the sun's rays during the day and is illuminated by spotlights at night.

The American Statue of Liberty was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1984 as "a masterpiece of the human spirit, a powerful symbol of peace, human rights, the abolition of slavery, world democracy and opportunity."

In the restored form, the statue became available to visitors in 1886. A second temporary closure occurred shortly after the 9/11 attacks until the end of 2001, but the pedestal did not become available until August 2004. Later, the monument was closed to visitors twice: for the period of installation of new elevators (for a year from October 2011), due to the suspension of government work (October 1-13, 2013).

How to get there

Login to national park Freedom Island is free, but access to it is possible only by ferry, for the trip on which you need to pay a fixed amount. The route also covers Ellis Island, where the Immigration Museum is now located. The island's marinas are closed for private vessels.

Special cruise ferries (Statue Cruises ferries) operate daily in the direction (except December 25), departing from two berths: from Manhattan's Battary Park and from Liberty State Park in Jersey City (New Jersey). The first ferry to the island departs at 9:30, the last at 15:30.

Video "Statue of Liberty"

Opens today observation deck in the crown of the Statue of Liberty in New York.

The Statue of Liberty, full name Liberty Enlightening the World, is one of the most famous sculptures in the United States and in the world, often referred to as "the symbol of New York and the United States", "the symbol of freedom and democracy "," Lady Liberty ".

The Statue of Liberty is located on Liberty Island, about 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 US independence and as a token of friendship between the two states.

The idea of ​​creating this symbol originated from the French scientist, lawyer and supporter of the abolition of slavery, Edouard de Laboulaye back in the late 1860s. He proceeded from the fact that America and France were tied 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 conceived as a gift for the centenary 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 creation of the statue was commissioned by the French sculptor Frederic Bartholdi. His Statue of Liberty was inspired by the famous painting by the artist Delacroix "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.

Completed in France in July 1884, the statue was constructed from thin sheets of copper minted in wooden molds. The formed sheets were then mounted on a steel frame.

In June 1885, the statue was taken to New York harbor aboard the French frigate Ysere. "Lady Liberty" was transported from France to the United States disassembled - 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 has remained closed to the public, but through the glass separator, the iron frame created by Gustave Eiffel can be seen.

In May 2009, it was announced that from July 4, 2009, the observation deck in the crown of the Statue of Liberty will be reopened to tourists.

At the very beginning, the statue was not green, it turned green due to atmospheric conditions, the main of which is acid rain.

The torch we see today is not a historical torch from 1886. It was replaced during the 1984-1986 renovation as its restoration was deemed inappropriate. The original torch was rather heavily modified in 1916. Today, this torch is on display in a museum located inside the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty.

In 1883, American poet Emma Lazarus wrote the New Colossus sonnet 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 read as follows: "... Give me your tired people, All those who want to breathe freely, abandoned in need, From the cramped shores of the persecuted, the poor and orphans, So send them, homeless and exhausted, to me. I raise my torch at the Golden Gate! "

The following coins were minted with the image of the Statue of Liberty: November 11, 1922 - 15 cents; June 24, 1954 - 3 cents April 9, 1954 - 8 cents and June 11, 1961 - 11 cents.

The New York 25 cent coin, minted in 2001, features the Statue of Liberty with the words "Gateway to Freedom".