Yankee from the metropolis with the Statue of Liberty. The main symbol of America is the Statue of Liberty in New York

(Statue of Liberty, full name - Liberty Illuminating 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”, “symbol of freedom and democracy”, “Lady Liberty”. This is a gift from French citizens for the centennial of the American Revolution.

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,” although it has been popularly called “Liberty Island” since the beginning of the 20th century.

The goddess of freedom holds a torch in her right hand and a tablet in her left. The inscription on the plaque reads "JULY IV MDCCLXXVI" ("July 4, 1776"), the date of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. “Freedom” stands with one foot on broken shackles.

Visitors walk 354 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 the earthly gems and heavenly rays illuminating 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).

The total weight of 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 cement base is 27,000 tons. The thickness of the copper coating of the statue is 2.37 mm.

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

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 (and accessible by elevator), houses an exhibition on the history of the statue.

New Colossus

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” in the Russian translation by V. Lazarus sound like this:

“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!”

Creation of the Statue of Liberty

The French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi was commissioned to create the statue. It was intended as a gift for the centenary of the Declaration of Independence in 1876. According to one version, Bartholdi even had a French model: the beautiful, recently widowed Isabella Boyer, wife of Issac Singer, the creator and entrepreneur in the field of sewing machines. “She was freed from the awkward presence of her husband, who left her with only the most desirable attributes in society: wealth and children. From the very beginning of her career in Paris, she was a well-known personality. As the beautiful French widow of an American entrepreneur, she proved a suitable model for Bartholdi's Statue of Liberty."

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, they raised 2.25 million francs. In the United States, theatrical performances, art exhibitions, auctions and boxing matches were held to raise funds.

Meanwhile, in France, Bartholdi needed the help of an engineer to solve the design issues associated with the construction of such a giant copper sculpture. Gustave Eiffel (future creator of the Eiffel Tower) was commissioned to design a massive steel support and intermediate support frame that would allow the copper shell of the statue to move freely while maintaining vertical position. Eiffel handed over the detailed developments to his assistant, an experienced structural engineer, Maurice Koechlin. Interestingly, the copper for the statue is of Russian origin.

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 early XIX centuries there was a fort in the shape of a star.

Fundraising for the pedestal proceeded slowly, and Joseph Pulitzer (of Pulitzer Prize fame) issued an appeal in his World newspaper to support fundraising for the project.

By August 1885, financing for the pedestal, designed by American architect Richard Morris Hunt, was completed, with the first stone laid on August 5. Construction was completed on April 22, 1886. Built into the massive masonry of the pedestal are two square lintels made of steel beams; they are connected by steel anchor beams that extend upward to become part of the Eiffel 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 Isere. For transportation, the statue was disassembled into 350 parts and packed into 214 boxes. (Her right hand with a torch had already been exhibited at the World's Fair in Philadelphia in 1876, and then at Madison Square in New York.) The statue was assembled on its new base in four months. The inauguration of the Statue of Liberty, with a speech 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.

Statue as a lighthouse

Since its discovery, the statue has served as a navigational landmark and was used as a lighthouse. Three caretakers took turns keeping her torch lit for 16 years.

Statue as a cultural monument

History of the Statue of Liberty and the island on which it stands is a story of change. The statue was placed on a granite pedestal inside Fort Wood, built for the War of 1812, whose walls are laid out 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 proclamation of October 15, 1924, Fort Wood (and the statue on its grounds) was declared a national monument, the boundaries of which coincided with the boundaries of the fort.

October 28, 1936, at 50 summer anniversary At the unveiling of the statue, US President Franklin Roosevelt said: “Freedom and peace are living things. For them to continue to exist, each generation must protect them and put new life into them.”

In 1933, maintenance of the national monument was transferred to the National Park Service. On September 7, 1937, the national monument was enlarged to cover all of 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 appointed Lee Iacocca to lead a private sector effort to restore the Statue of Liberty. The restoration raised $87 million through a partnership between the National Park Service and the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Corporation, the most successful public-private collaboration in history. American history. In 1984, at the beginning of work on its restoration, the Statue of Liberty was included in the List World Heritage UNESCO. On July 5, 1986, the restored Statue of Liberty was reopened to the public during Liberty Weekend celebrating her centennial.

Statue and security

The statue and island were closed from September 11, 2001 to August 3, 2004 due to the terrorist attack on the World War II. shopping mall. On August 4, 2004, the monument was opened, but the statue itself, including the crown, remains closed. However, in May 2009, US Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced that the statue would reopen to tours on July 4, 2009.

In preparing the material, articles from Wikipedia- free encyclopedia.

Jeroen van Luin / flickr.com Alan Strakey / flickr.com Liberty Island, New York, USA (Delta Whiskey / flickr.com) Statue of Liberty, New York, USA (Mobilus In Mobili / flickr.com) Andy Atzert / flickr .com Anthony Quintano / flickr.com Liberty Island, New York (Phil Dolby / flickr.com) Anthony Quintano / flickr.com Chris Tse / flickr.com sylvain.collet / flickr.com Plaque in the left hand of the Statue of Liberty with the date of adoption Declaration of Independence (Pete Bellis / flickr.com) ali sinan köksal / flickr.com Jon Dawson / flickr.com Tom Thai / flickr.com Wilhelm Joys Andersen / flickr.com David Ohmer / flickr.com Justin / flickr.com Torch of the Statue of Liberty (Mike Clarke / flickr.com) Top view of the Statue of Liberty (StatueLibrtyNPS / flickr.com)

The Statue of Liberty is the main symbol of the American people, the idea of ​​freedom. In addition, this is another symbol of the New York metropolis.

The majestic structure in America is located on Liberty Island. Approximately 3 thousand meters in a southwesterly direction from the south of Manhattan Island in New York. Until 56 of the last century, the island in the USA, which is now decorated with the Statue of Liberty, was called Bedlow. Although at the beginning of the century it was already nicknamed “Freedom Island”.

In the right hand of the statue, which is 12.8 meters long, there is a burning torch. On the left is a sign, the length of which is 4.14 meters. The date of the Declaration of Independence of the United States from Great Britain is written on it.

Broken shackles can be seen under the statue’s feet, which in turn symbolizes liberation. On the head, the distance from the chin to the back of the head is 5.26 meters. The length of the nose is 1.37 meters.

7 Prong Crown of the Statue of Liberty, New York (sylvain.collet / flickr.com)

The statue is crowned with a crown of 7 teeth. This is a symbol of seven seas and at the same time seven continents. According to geography globe only seven continents: Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Australia, Antarctica. Seven seas mean the same number of parts of the World Ocean. There are also windows in the crown that sparkle like diamonds in the sun and decorate it.

Another fact is that visitors usually walk 192 steps to get to the podium. And in order to climb to the very top, you need to overcome 356 steps. The size of the statue is quite impressive. The total height of the structure is 93 meters. And the height of the statue itself is 46 meters.

To visit this attraction, you need to get to the island by ferry. Usually they go to the very top, from where you can admire the stunning panorama of New York and its harbor, which defies description.

Who gave the Statue of Liberty to America?

Despite the fact that the Statue of Liberty is a symbol of America and New York, it was not made in the States. Where did she come from then?

Plaque in the left hand of the Statue of Liberty with the date of the Declaration of Independence (Pete Bellis / flickr.com)

The attraction is interesting because it is a gift from France to the States on Independence Day. The statue was designed and made by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, a French sculptor. The main idea is to give a gift to America on the centennial of the Declaration of Independence.

The widow Isabella Boyer posed for the statue. An interesting fact is that this was the wife of Singer, an American creator of a famous brand of sewing machines. This lady was not the last person in the capital and at the same time a beautiful woman.

An interesting fact is that the Statue of Liberty was originally planned to be erected not in New York, but in Port Said - in Egypt. But the Egyptian authorities considered this project too expensive. Therefore, it was decided to transfer the structure to the USA, where it will rise on the island of the New York metropolis.

Design and preparation for construction

The US authorities undertook to build the pedestal, and the statue itself was made in Paris. The French undertook to install it on site.

View from above of the Article of Liberty, New York, USA (Phil Dolby / flickr.com)

In order to raise the necessary amount for the implementation of the project, special measures were taken in both countries. In France, a certain amount of money was collected thanks to lotteries, entertainment events, donations from citizens. In America, in order to raise the required amount, theatrical performances, artist exhibitions, fights in the ring and auctions were held.

In France, the author of the structure, Bartholdi, needed a technically educated person to construct the statue. Another interesting fact: this man was destined to become the architect Gustave Eiffel, the very famous work which in the future became the Eiffel Tower. He needed to design a steel support for the structure and a frame to support the statue with great height in a vertical position.

For a statue of great height, a huge amount of copper was needed. There are different interesting versions about the place of its extraction. For example, in Russia, in Nizhny Tagil. But the results of the study revealed that the copper was from Norway. The concrete base on which the Statue of Liberty stands required a large number of cement. A German concrete production company undertook to supply it.

The formation of the amount necessary for construction did not proceed quickly enough. Joseph Pulitzer even called on American citizens to support construction. His speeches significantly influenced the speed of implementation of the plan. The pedestal was designed by an architect named Richard Morris Hunt.

Erecting the Statue of Liberty

Construction of the massive foundation near Manhattan in New York began on August 5, 1885. It took a little less than 9 months to build, and work ended on April 22, 1886. Steel lintels are inserted inside the stone pedestal. The metal beams connected to them are directed upward to form an Eiffel frame inside the structure itself.

France made its gift in the summer. The length of the entire structure was almost 34 meters. For transportation, it was disassembled into 350 fragments, which were distributed among many boxes. They were transported to the USA on the ship Isere. After 11 months, the Statue of Liberty appeared near New York, where it was erected in 4 months of work.

The Statue of Liberty was officially unveiled in 1886 in New York. The celebration was attended by Grover Cleveland, then ruling in the United States, and more than a thousand residents and guests of the city.

History of the Statue of Liberty of the United States of America

The Statue of Liberty near New York City sits on its massive granite base inside Fort Wood, built for defensive purposes in the early 19th century. Until the beginning of the 20th century, the lighthouse service was responsible for the operation of the facility. The US military then took over this role.

On October 15, by decree of the US government, Fort Wood, together with the Statue of Liberty, acquired the status of a monument to the American nation in the United States.

“a symbol of New York and the USA” Jon Dawson / flickr.com

In 1933, the US National Park Service became responsible for the Statue of Liberty. In 1937, the size of the monument grew and began to coincide with the outline of Bedloe. In 1956, the name of the island changed, it acquired a new name - Liberty Island.

In 1982, under the influence of the head of the country, Reagan, a project was created to restore the Statue of Liberty. As a result, the amount of $87 million was collected. In 1984, restoration work began, during which the old torch was replaced with a modern one with gold plating. Another interesting fact is that 24-karat gold was used for plating. In 1986, the renovated Statue of Liberty welcomed everyone to visit it on the occasion of its anniversary.

In early September 2001, due to the tragedy in the Twin Towers, the island, along with the Statue of Liberty, became inaccessible to those wishing to visit it. It was only in 2004 that the Statue of Liberty was again open to the public, but access to the top was still closed.

On July 4, 2009, by order of US President Obama, it became possible to visit the top of the Statue of Liberty. In 2011, the elevators with stairs were updated in honor of the next anniversary. In addition, for the convenience of visitors, an escalator was installed here. In 2012, the Statue of Liberty became fully accessible to New Yorkers and visitors to the United States.

The Statue of Liberty is one of the symbols of America and New York. It has been attracting tourists for many years and is place of worship among Americans.

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


• Length right hand 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 paved the way for the creation independent state(we wrote about this in the article “What is the USA or why was it created this state? (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 a quick fix make 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 in Ancient Rome When the cult of the god Mithra spread, 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 (symbol ancient civilization), dragged him into his cave and killed him 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 simple people who performed religious ceremonies 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 newspaper " New York World". 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.

IN left hand enclosed the Book of Laws (Declaration of Independence), and now dressed the “lady” in Roman clothing.

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.

Statue of Liberty(English Statue of Liberty, full name - Liberty Enlightening the World) - one of the most famous sculptures in the USA and in the world, often called the “symbol of New York and the USA”, “symbol of freedom and democracy ", "Lady Liberty". This is a gift from French citizens for the centennial of the American Revolution.

Location

The Statue of Liberty is located in New York, on Liberty Island, which is located three kilometers southwest of the coast of Manhattan. The Statue of Liberty, a gift from the French for the 100th anniversary of the American Revolution, was made in France in 1884 and transported to America in parts. The opening of the statue took place on October 28, 1886, ten years late to the originally planned date.

Description of the object

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 his work was continued by Maurice Koechlin. The frame is constructed in such a way that you can easily move around inside the monument and even climb the spiral staircases to the top. There are 354 steps to the main observation deck located in the crown. From there, 25 windows symbolizing precious stones open amazing view to 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.

On top of the steel skeleton is covered with copper sheets, masterfully hammered in wooden forms, with a thickness of only 2.37 mm and 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 broken shackles - 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, July 4, 1776.

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. Inside the pedestal there is a museum, which can be reached by elevator.

History of origin

The French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi was commissioned to create the statue. It was intended as a gift for the centennial anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 1876. According to one version, Bartholdi even had a French model: the beautiful, recently widowed Isabella Boyer, wife of Isaac Singer, the creator and entrepreneur in the field of sewing machines.

The Statue of Liberty was originally planned to be installed in Port Said under the name The Light Of Asia, but the then Egyptian government decided that transporting the structure from France and installing it was too expensive.

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.

Meanwhile, in France, 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 a massive steel support and intermediate support frame that would allow the copper shell of the statue to move freely while maintaining an upright position. Eiffel handed over the detailed developments to his assistant, the experienced structural engineer Maurice Koechlin. The copper for the statue was purchased from existing stocks in the warehouses of the Société des métaux company of entrepreneur Eugene Secretan. Its origins have not been documented, but research in 1985 showed that it was mainly mined in Norway on the island of Karmøy.

The legend about copper supplies from Russia was verified by enthusiasts, but was not confirmed. Besides, railways in Ufa and Nizhny Tagil construction was carried out later; Accordingly, the version of ore supplies cannot be taken seriously. It is also noteworthy that the concrete base under the statue is made of German cement. The Dickerhoff company won a tender to supply cement for the construction of the foundation of the Statue of Liberty in New York, which at that time was the largest concrete structure in the world.

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.

Fundraising for the pedestal proceeded slowly, and Joseph Pulitzer (of Pulitzer Prize fame) issued an appeal in his World newspaper to support fundraising for the project.

By August 1885, problems with financing the pedestal, designed by American architect Richard Morris Hunt, had been resolved, and the first stone was laid on August 5.

Construction was completed on April 22, 1886. Two square lintels made of steel beams are built into the massive masonry of the pedestal; they are connected by steel anchor beams that extend upward to become part of the Eiffel 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 Isere. For transportation, the statue was disassembled into 350 parts and packed into 214 boxes. (Her right hand with a torch, completed earlier, had already been exhibited at the World's Fair in Philadelphia in 1876, and then in Madison Square in New York.) The statue was assembled on its new base in four months. 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. As a French gift for the centenary of the American Revolution, it was ten years late.

The national monument, the Statue of Liberty, officially celebrated its centennial on October 28, 1986.

Operating mode

Visiting hours for Liberty Island and Ellis Island are from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (with schedule extended to summer months)

How to get there

The entrance to Liberty Island Park itself is free, but tourists will have to fork out a little for the ferry. Ferries go to this island, and at the same time to Ellis Island, from two piers - from Battery Park in Manhattan and from Liberty State Park in Jersey City on the other side one of New York Bay. Moreover, upon boarding, passengers undergo a thorough search, similar to what is available at airports around the world.

From France with love

Despite the fact that the Statue of Liberty is an unofficial symbol of the United States, its homeland is France, which is under America laughed at the war with Great Britain. The monument was conceived as a gift frommany freedom-loving peopleto another, but also to anotherThe Ricans contributed to the creation of the masterpiece - the pedestal of the statue was made in the USA.

Loubetter than pObetter than ever

The statue could well have ended up in Egypt instead of New York, because the author of the monument had such plans. It was supposed to be installed as a gig NT lighthouse at the entrance to Suez Canal in the city of Port Said. Butachieve agreement on this project and failed.

Creative duet

The author of the Statue of Liberty is the architect Frederic Bartholdi. But another famous Frenchman, engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, creator of the Eiffel Tower, also worked on the monument. Bartholdi was responsible for appearance statues, while Eiffel was developing the iron shell and frame.
Travel to New York

In order to transport the statue across the ocean, the sculpture was dismantled into 350 parts and loaded onto the French frigate Isere. The complexity of the operation also lay in the fact that the weight of the statue exceeded 150 tons. Already on American soil, its assembly and installation lasted four months.

Crown, stones and rays

The prototype of Liberty, according to art historians, was the famous French model Isabella Boyer, the widow of Isaac Singer, the founder of the production company sewing machines. Frederic Bartholdi infuses Lady Liberty with iconic details. Thus, 25 viewing windows located in the crown of the statue symbolize precious stones that are mined in the United States. And the seven rays emanating from the crown are a symbol of the seven seas and seven continents, that is, a sign of the widespread spread of freedom.

Bird's-eye

To climb to the observation deck located inside the crown, visitors will have to climb 192 steps to the top of the pedestal and 356 steps inside the monument. The reward for your efforts will be a magnificent view of the New York coastline. The total height of the statue - from the base to the top of the torch - is 93 m.

Kind with healthy

The Statue of Liberty turned out to be an excellent beacon for ships heading to Manhattan past Bedlow's Island, on which the monument stands. Today, the need for a lighthouse has disappeared, but the Statue of Liberty does not stand idle: a historical museum is located inside it.
American dream without borders

Replicas of the Statue of Liberty can be found in many cities around the world. Only in Paris are four smaller replicas of the famous Lady Liberty installed. Tokyo, Las Vegas, Lvov, Uzhgorod, Dnepropetrovsk have their own Freedom.

Time is money

Entrance to the observation deck, as well as visiting the museum located inside the statue, is free. But you will have to pay a small amount to take the ferry to Bedloe Island. You will have to spend not only money, but also time: visitors are carefully searched. Precautions were increased after September 11: for example, the crown of the Statue of Liberty became open to the public only in 2009.

The color of history

The Statue of Liberty often appears in various films. The creators of Titanic also filmed one episode against the backdrop of the famous sculpture - and made a historical mistake. In the film, the statue has a familiar greenish tint. But in 1912, during the events of the film drama, the copper of the monument had not yet oxidized and was of a noble metallic color.

Features of the Statue of Liberty

Features of the Statue of Liberty Today the Statue of Liberty is one of the national symbols USA. Rising at the mouth of the Hudson at the entrance to New York Harbor, a woman in graceful, flowing robes carrying a torch personifies the freedom and opportunity of the country. On her head she wears a crown with seven teeth, representing the seven seas and seven continents. At the woman's feet are the torn shackles of tyranny. In the woman's left hand she holds a slab with the date of the American Declaration of Independence inscribed on it - July 4, 1776. The statue was made from thin sheets of copper hammered into wooden molds. The formed sheets were then installed on a steel frame. The height of the Statue (by the way, it was originally called more pathetically - “Freedom, bringing light to the world”) is 46 meters, so, if we also take into account the 47-meter pedestal, the top of the torch is at a height of 93 meters above the ground. The weight of the monument is 205 tons. The length of the right hand, in which the torch is held, is 12.8 meters, with the index finger alone having a length of 2.4 meters, the width of the mouth is 91 centimeters. Spiral staircase inside the statue leads tourists to the top. The statue is usually open to visitors, who usually arrive by ferry. The crown, accessible by stairs, offers expansive views of New York Harbor. In 1972, the Museum of the Settlement of America was opened inside the Statue itself, which can be reached by a special elevator. The entire history of the country is presented here: from the ancestors - the Indians who inhabited the then unknown continent, and right up to the mass migration in the present century. Opinions about the Statue of Liberty are completely contradictory. Nothing like this had been seen in America before the construction of this sculpture. Connoisseurs noted high technology execution, clarity of proportions and grace of lines. But opponents of those who recognized the Freedom Monument as the eighth wonder of the world noted that the symbol of Freedom in the form of a statue was interpreted too coldly and dispassionately. It is no coincidence that the epithet appeared that Freedom is “blind”, and greatness is transmitted only large sizes. However, evil tongues are not a hindrance to Freedom. All over the world, the Statue is considered a symbol of the United States, embodying the democratic principles of which this country is so proud.

Conclusion

The history of the Statue of Liberty and the island where where she stands -this is a story of change. The statue wouldla placed on grathread pedestal inside Fort Wood, built for the war 1812 , the walls of which are laid out in the shape of a star. The U.S. Lighthouse Service was responsible for maintaining the statue until 1901. After 1901, this mission was assigned to the War Department. By presidential proclamation of October 15, 1924, Fort Wood (and the statue on its grounds) was declared a national monument, the boundaries of which coincided with the boundaries of the fort.

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

In 1933 maintenance of the national monument was transferred to the National Park Service. On September 7, 1937, the national monument was enlarged to cover all of 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 appointed Lee Iacocca to lead a private sector effort to restore the Statue of Liberty. The restoration raised $87 million through a partnership between the National Park Service and the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Corporation, which became the most successful public-private collaboration in American history. In 1984, at the beginning of its 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.

A very large number of tourists visiting the United States of America go there with only one purpose - to see the Statue of Liberty. What features of this sculpture have been attracting the attention of travelers and local residents for many years, what interesting facts are connected with the history of its appearance, as well as the city where the Statue of Liberty is located, and in what other countries of the world can you see copies of this work? You will learn this and much more from this article.

Symbol of New York and the USA

Anyone who is even slightly interested in history knows where the Statue of Liberty is. One of the most famous sculptures in the whole world is located in the state of New York on an island that once bore the name Bedlow, but after placing this masterpiece on it, it is not called anything other than “Liberty Island”. In addition to its stunning size, it is distinguished by its deep meaning and fullness, and the art of execution that the talented sculptor was able to demonstrate even when working with such a huge structure is simply amazing. Even indigenous people regularly visit the place where the Statue of Liberty is located, let alone tourists. This monument is interesting not only externally. It is distinguished by a rich history. He has seen a lot in his almost two-hundred-year life and will see a lot more. From a height of almost 70 meters, taking into account the height of the pedestal, this symbol of independence and peace looks down at the person.

What does the Statue of Liberty look like, where is it located, in what country?

Although the creation of this masterpiece was timed to coincide with the centenary of the signing of the US Declaration of Independence and is considered a gift from the French, it would be correct to call it working together the best masters of these two nations. Even when work was in full swing, what the final version of the Statue of Liberty would look like was not completely known. There is an opinion that even the Egyptian government was offered to receive this work of art as a gift, but it considered its transportation and installation too expensive.

If the French were entrusted with the execution of the sculpture itself, then the Americans were required to find a suitable place where the Statue of Liberty would be located after arriving in the country, and prepare a reliable pedestal for it.

The merit of two peoples

Both peoples simply had a catastrophic lack of funds to complete the work, so they resorted to various tricks to raise money. Theatrical performances, auctions, charity fundraisers, and various entertainment events were held, the purpose of which was to attract as many more sponsors. As a result, the goal was achieved, the required amount Money assembled and the work was completed, albeit ten years late from the planned completion date, but today this is no longer so important.

No less famous analogues

The statue located on Liberty Island has equally professionally made copies and analogues in many countries around the world. They also receive the attention of tourists and local residents, but always, despite their value for the owner country, on a global scale they will remain only a semblance of the world-famous cultural and historical heritage of America.

Those who are interested in where the Statue of Liberty is located in France will be given seven answers at once. There are four of them in Paris alone. The Paris museum houses a smaller model of the New York statue and is the most significant for history buffs. Just two meters high, a copy of the famous sculpture can be seen in the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris, and near the Eiffel Tower there is a rather large, eleven-meter analogue. It is already a return gift from the Americans to the French and is installed in the direction of the west, that is, as if facing the original. This symbolizes peace between the two nations.

It deserves attention

In the place where the life of the beloved Princess Diana was tragically cut short, there is also a monument to Freedom. It was erected long before the tragic events, but it became especially visited precisely after them. His torch is constantly filled with bouquets of flowers brought by fans of the deceased.

Tourists who visit Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer do not leave this city without a photo taken near the gilded sculpture. Its shape is copied from the New York original, but the luminous torch sets it apart from all its brothers. “Shining Freedom” is what the locals call it.

In a small square in Poitiers in memory of Frederic Bartholdi, who created that very American statue, on the centenary of his death, a copy of the masterpiece he created was also installed. The square has the same name, and it is not at all difficult for tourists to find it.

For those who are interested in where the Statue of Liberty is located, the country of Japan has prepared a wonderful surprise. On the island of Odaiba in Tokyo there is a beautiful monument that is practically an exact copy world famous statue. It is made very skillfully, and every person who visits the capital of Japan will definitely bring with them memorable photographs taken near it.

Did you know?

It turns out that even in Russia and Ukraine you can find places where the Statue of Liberty is located. Few people know in which city such specimens are located, but in Moscow guides will definitely tell you about the monument to Nikolai Andreev, which, unfortunately, has not survived to this day, as it was destroyed, but the head of the monument is still kept in the Tretyakov Gallery. In Ukraine special attention deserves the world's smallest Statue of Liberty, located in Uzhgorod. Its height is only 30 cm, and its weight is 4 kg, but nevertheless it is quite useful, since it is an active lighthouse on the Uzh River. And in Lviv there is the only sitting Statue of Liberty in the world, and a huge number of tourists come to see it every year.

Symbols of freedom have always been and will be relevant for any nation. Freedom and peace are among the greatest values ​​of humanity. Being next to the majestic architectural monuments, you can simply physically feel the pressure, the fortitude that was inherent in the fighters for a free and independent existence and allowed them to free themselves from the oppression of the invaders.