It is a lesser-known fact that more than 5 million people visit the Statue of Liberty every year, making it one of the most popular tourist attractions in the USA.
The green-colored lady, who dominates every photograph and discussion around New York, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Lady Liberty was a gift from the French people to the people of America.
The statue is an engineering marvel and withstands 600 bolts of lightning every year.
In the 130-plus years since its installation on Liberty Island, just outside of New York, the Statue of Liberty has been given a lot of nicknames.
Here are the most popular ones: Grande Dame, Lady on a Pedestal, Green Goddess, America’s Freedom, Lady with a Torch, Mother of Exiles, Spirit of American Independence America’s Great Lady, Mother of Freedom, Saint Liberty, Lady of the Harbor, Aunt Liberty, Bartholdi’s Daughter, Giant Goddess, and The Lady Higher Up.
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Table of contents
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Statue of Liberty facts
- 1. The Statue of Liberty was one man’s idea
- 2. Liberty is modeled after a Muslim woman
- 3. Did the French Government gift Statue of Liberty?
- 4. Funding for Statue of Liberty
- 5. Emma Lazarus’s poem to encourage funding
- 6. Boston and Philadelphia wanted the Statue of Liberty
- 7. Dimensions of Statue of Liberty
- 8. 300 different types of hammers were used
- 9. Facts about Statue of Liberty’s Crown
- 10. The face of Statue of Liberty
- 11. Controversy over the face of Lady Liberty
- 12. Going up the Statue of Liberty
- 13. Shipping Lady Liberty to the USA
- 14. Lady Liberty gave birth to Ticker Tape parade
- 15. Installation of Statue of Liberty
- 16. Women were banned from attending the installation ceremony
- 17. Fort Wood – base on which Lady with the torch stands
- 18. Statue of Liberty was a symbol of immigration
- 19. Statue of Liberty was a site for suicide
- 20. Edison wanted Statue of Liberty to give speeches
- 21. Why nobody can enter the Statue of Liberty’s torch
- 22. Why is the Statue of Liberty green?
- 23. Shoulder and head of Statue of Liberty are misaligned
- 24. Statue of Liberty replicas
- Statue of Liberty FAQs
Statue of Liberty facts
The actual full name of the Statue of Liberty is “Liberty Enlightening the World.”
1. The Statue of Liberty was one man’s idea
The statue was a brainchild of Edouard de Laboulaye, who only proposed that France should gift this statue to the United States as a celebration of both the Union’s victory in the American Revolution and the abolition of slavery.
Edouard de Laboulaye also believed that the Statue of Liberty would inspire the French people in their contemporary struggle for democracy against the tyranny of Napoleon III.
The Statue of Liberty was built by French sculptor Auguste Bartholdi.
He had a large team who worked long hours daily for nine years to complete the massive statue. Work on the Statue of Liberty finished in 1884.
In fact, Gustave Eiffel, the man who designed the Eiffel Tower, was also involved in the construction of the Statue of Liberty.
2. Liberty is modeled after a Muslim woman
Auguste Bartholdi had initially presented Lady Liberty’s idea to Egypt.
He wanted the Lady Liberty statue to guard the newly-opened Suez Canal in Egypt, welcoming ships into the mouth of Egypt’s groundbreaking canal.
This statue was to be called “Egypt Carrying the Light to Asia” and was to resemble a veiled peasant woman.
However, when Egypt rejected his proposal, Bartholdi modified it slightly, named her “Liberty Enlightening the World,” and presented it to America.
If you look closely, the Statue of Liberty wears a loose-fitting dress, which is common in the Middle East.
3. Did the French Government gift Statue of Liberty?
Another lesser-known fact is that the Statue of Liberty was NOT given to America by the French government.
Its construction and shipping were entirely crowd-funded by both the French and the American citizens.
As per an article published in 1885 in a New York-based newspaper, the sum of $102,000 was raised to construct the Statue of Liberty.
All of this was from individual donors. More than 80 percent of this $102,000 was in one-dollar contributions.
| Statue of Liberty tours | Cost |
|---|---|
| Reserve Statue of Liberty ticket | $25 |
| Statue of Liberty with pre-ferry tour | $50 |
| Guided tour of Statue of Liberty | $44 |
| Statue of Liberty cruise | $30 |
| Statue of Liberty sunset cruise | $30 |
4. Funding for Statue of Liberty
While they were okay with funding the statue, the French requested the Americans fund the pedestal.
To help the Americans raise funds for the pedestal, the arm and torch were shipped over earlier to be displayed at an exposition in Philadelphia.
The pieces were then taken to New York and kept in Madison Square Park.
Despite attracting a lot of people, the fundraising wasn’t a success.
That’s when newspaper magnate Joseph Pulitzer stepped in and used the reach of his newspaper to raise funds.
In fact, the head of the statue was exhibited at the World’s Fair in Paris back in 1878 to raise funds.
5. Emma Lazarus’s poem to encourage funding
Eminent American poet Emma Lazarus wrote about the Statue of Liberty in a wonderful sonnet back in 1883.
This sonnet was written to raise funds for the statue.
Just 20 years later, her poem was engraved on a bronze plaque and mounted inside the pedestal’s lower level. People who buy Pedestal tickets can still see it.
6. Boston and Philadelphia wanted the Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty was very much a sought-after attraction.
Groups in Boston and Philadelphia offered to pay the full cost of reconstruction and or relocation of the statue to their states.
However, their offers were rejected, and it was installed at Liberty Island.
7. Dimensions of Statue of Liberty
The robed figure of the Statue of Liberty is modeled after Libertas, the Roman Goddess of Freedom.
That is why she is regarded as a symbol of American independence.
The date of the American Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776) is inscribed on the torch she is carrying.
The tablet she is carrying mentions the date of the declaration.
The broken chains, sculptured at the foot of the statue, represent the broken shackles of oppression and tyranny.
Ever wondered how tall the Statue of Liberty is?
From the base of the pedestal to the tip of the torch, the statue stands at a massive height of 305 feet and 6 inches.
Barring the pedestal, the height of the statue itself is 111 feet 6 inches, with an enormous 35-foot waistline (and you were worried about yours!).
In total, the statue weighs around 225 tons (or 204,100 kilograms).
Did you know that the Statue of Liberty wears size 879 sandals?
Each of her sandals is 25 feet (7.6 meters) long.
8. 300 different types of hammers were used
Four iron columns, which form a metal framework, are the core of the Statue of Liberty.
The copper skin of the statue has been hammered in place around this framework.
To create a realistic look, 300 different types of hammers were used to hammer the 3/32-inch-thick copper sheet in place.
9. Facts about Statue of Liberty’s Crown
This is an interesting Statue of Liberty fact – the crown on the head has seven rays, which represent the seven continents.
The crown has as many as 25 windows and offers a tremendous view of the city.
No wonder the Crown Reserve Tickets are so much in demand all the time.
The Statue of Liberty’s crown weighs more than 1,000 pounds.
Tip: Statue of Liberty Crown tickets sell 3-4 months in advance. Check out some tips and tricks to book last-minute Statue of Liberty Crown tickets.
10. The face of Statue of Liberty
Though the Statue of Liberty was constructed based on the figure of a Roman Goddess, it is said that the face of the statue is modeled on the face of the sculptor’s mother, Augusta.
Bartholdi’s wife posed for the arms and torso of the Statue of Liberty.
The fact that it was modeled on Auguste Bartholdi’s mother came to light when Bartholdi invited French Senator Jules Bozerian to his box at the opera.
When Bozerian noticed a real-life version of the Statue of Liberty sitting in the box, he asked: “Who is that?”
Bartholdi, the sculptor, is known to have smiled and said: “She’s my mother.”
11. Controversy over the face of Lady Liberty
One lesser-known fact about the Statue of Liberty is the controversy over its visage.
Many think it hasn’t been modeled on the sculptor’s mother, but the inspiration was Bartholdi’s mentally challenged brother, Jean-Charles.
Which would make the Statue of Liberty a man!
12. Going up the Statue of Liberty
With more than 5 million tourists visiting the Statue of Liberty, it is always a busy spot.
Check out the below Statue of Liberty tour video to understand why it is such a sought after tourist spot.
If you are an adventurous tourist, you can go one step further and climb to the crown of the statue.
The stairs to the top of the statue are steep. From the base of the Statue of Liberty, to reach the top, one must climb 393 steps.
This is equal to the height of a 27-story building.
From the pedestal to the crown, there are 162 very steep and narrow steps.
The space to climb is enclosed and can be suffocating during the summer months.
13. Shipping Lady Liberty to the USA
After it was built in France, the Statue of Liberty had to be shipped to America in parts.
Around 350 individual pieces of the statue had to be packed into 214 crates and then shipped to New York.
The French ship Isere, which was transporting this precious treasure, almost sank in stormy seas during its journey.
14. Lady Liberty gave birth to Ticker Tape parade
Before her installation, on 28 October 1886, parts of the statue were taken on a massive parade through Manhattan.
When it passed by the Stock Exchange, the day traders threw down ticker tape (paper from the Ticker Tape machines) from the upper windows.
This started what is today known as the Ticker Tape parade. Nowadays, confetti is thrown instead of ticker tape.
15. Installation of Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty was installed on Bedloe Island (named after an early Dutch settler).
In 1956, the island was renamed ‘Liberty Island’ by an act of Congress.
On 28 October 1886, Grover Cleveland, President of the USA, officially accepted the Statue of Liberty on behalf of the American citizens.
Ever since this day is known as the birthday of the Statue of Liberty.
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16. Women were banned from attending the installation ceremony
It is said that women were banned from attending the State of Liberty dedication ceremony at Bedloe’s island.
It was ironic because the Statue of Liberty was a woman and represented freedom, equality, etc.
To make their point heard, suffragists (those who wanted voting rights to be extended to women as well) chartered a boat and held their own ceremony in the nearby harbor.
Their message: “What is the point of erecting a Statue of Liberty in a country where women have no political liberty.”
Some believe that women weren’t banned, but they were advised to stay at home for safety reasons.
The organizers were expecting a huge crowd and thought the women’s dresses would make it difficult for them to navigate the crowd.
17. Fort Wood – base on which Lady with the torch stands
The Statue of Liberty has two parts – the lady’s figure and the pedestal.
The pedestal rests on a sturdy but granite fort called Fort Wood.
This fort is shaped like an 11-pointed star and was built in 1811.
It was built for a garrison of 350 US Army troops who could protect the New York harbor from any attacks using the 77 mounted guns.
Today, Fort Wood houses the Museum.
18. Statue of Liberty was a symbol of immigration
During the second half of the 19th century, the Statue of Liberty was a symbol of immigration.
Immigrants coming by boats saw the statue as the first thing they saw before entering the United States.
Stories of the gigantic woman who welcomed immigrants into the new world spread far and wide.
Amongst the immigrants, the Statue of Liberty gained iconic status. It was their love for the statue that made Lady Liberty a popular landmark in the USA.
From 1892 to 1943, the State of Liberty welcomed more than 12 million immigrants to the USA.
You can know all about this when you visit the Ellis Island Im migration Museum.
19. Statue of Liberty was a site for suicide
There is a reason why there are so many National Park Service Rangers inside and around the Statue of Liberty.
The statue has had its fair share of morbid history.
Two people committed suicide after jumping down from the statue in the years 1929 and 1932. There were several similar attempts later, but all were thwarted.
20. Edison wanted Statue of Liberty to give speeches
After introducing the phonograph in 1877, Thomas Alva Edison decided to leave his mark on the Statue of Liberty.
He told a gathering of journalists that he planned to build a massive phonograph and place it inside the Statue of Liberty.
He wanted Lady Liberty to deliver speeches that could be heard as far away as Northern Manhattan.
However, Edison’s plan never materialized.
21. Why nobody can enter the Statue of Liberty’s torch
During World War I, when German saboteurs set off an explosion near the Statue of Liberty, the torch-bearing arm of Lady Liberty was damaged.
It was eventually repaired and, for safety purposes, closed to the public. It is going to be 100 years since this closure, and nobody has gone inside since then.
22. Why is the Statue of Liberty green?
When installed, the Statue of Liberty was the tallest iron structure ever built on this planet.
The framework of the Statue of Liberty is pure iron, and the exterior is made up of copper (except for the torch, which is now gold-plated).
Over the years, due to the process called oxidation, the copper started turning green. The oxidation process was complete by 1920 – the year the statue was completely green.
Though the green coating is a sign of damage, once it was in place, it started protecting the copper statue from the elements.
23. Shoulder and head of Statue of Liberty are misaligned
In 1982, President Ronald Reagan established a team to restore the deteriorating Statue of Liberty in time for a centennial celebration in 1986.
During this period, the torch of the statue was covered with a thin sheet of 24k gold.
It gives the perfect glittering effect. The renovation also saw the replacement of the original torch with a copper one.
It was during this restoration phase that the team found out that the statue had structural issues – especially the head and shoulders, which were misaligned.
So much so that the head of the Statue of Liberty was placed two feet away from where it should have been placed.
24. Statue of Liberty replicas
There are various replicas of the Statue of Liberty. Some of the most popular versions of the Statue of Liberty are –
- Salvador Dali sculpted a replica in 1972 with both hands holding torches. It is installed at Vascoeuil Castle in France
- Las Vegas has a Statue of Liberty replica in front of a Manhattan skyline at the New York-New York hotel
- There is a replica in Rawalpindi, Pakistan – at the Bahria Town
- A Lego version of Lady Liberty rests at Legoland Billund in Denmark
- Visnes, Norway, hosts a replica of Lady Liberty to remind the visitors that it was from here that the copper for the ‘real’ Statue of Liberty was mined
| Statue of Liberty tours | Cost |
|---|---|
| Reserve Statue of Liberty ticket | US$31 |
| Guided tour of Statue of Liberty | US$39 |
| Statue of Liberty cruise | US$33 |
| Statue of Liberty sunset cruise | US$34 |
Statue of Liberty FAQs
Here are some questions visitors usually ask before visiting the Statue of Liberty.
The Statue of Liberty’s height from the ground to the tip of the flame in the torch is 93 meters (305 feet and 1 inch). It is the same height as a 22-story building. When the Statue of Liberty was inaugurated in 1886, it was the tallest structure in New York City.
While trying to raise money to build the Statue of Liberty, poet Emma Lazarus wrote a sonnet, ‘The New Colossus.’ The line reads: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” A plaque with the poem’s last lines is mounted inside the pedestal of the statue.
Note: These lines are not actually words on the Statue of Liberty. The only words on the statue are the inscription “JULY IV MDCCLXXVI” on the tablet Lady Liberty is holding. It means “July 4, 1776”, the day America gained independence.
The Statue of Liberty was built and dedicated to the USA on October 28, 1886, making it a 133-year-old monument in 2019. However, since it took the sculptor 15-20 years after it was initiated to convince the USA to accept it, one can safely say that the Statue of Liberty is almost 150 years old.
The Statue of Liberty, as we know it today, has contributions from three artisans.
French sculptor FrédéricAuguste Bartholdi designed the statue
French civil engineer Gustave Eiffel built the metal framework on which the statue rests
American architect Richard Morris Hunt designed and built the pedestal on which the statue stands
The Statue of Liberty is a rendition of the Roman Goddess of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty is modeled after Marie Bartholdi, sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi’s mother.
The outside layer of the Statue of Liberty is made of copper, about 3/32 inch (2.5 mm) thick. The internal framework is made of cast iron and stainless steel.
Initially, the Statue of Liberty was conceived as a symbol of friendship between the people of France and the US and a sign of their mutual desire for liberty. However, over the years, the Statue of Liberty has become the universal symbol of freedom, welcoming millions of immigrants and giving them hope and opportunity.
When the Statue of Liberty was inaugurated in 1886, it was like an American penny – brown in color.
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