If someone decides to collect information about the city of New York on Internet search engines. The Statue of Liberty will undoubtedly be one of the first references. This statue is one of the most important symbols not only of New York, but also of the entire United States.
Although it was created to celebrate the centenary of the Declaration of Independence of the United States and to establish friendship. Between this country and France, today it is a symbol that embodies the freedom and hope of the American people, and represents the country throughout the world.
In 1984 it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and the monument was also nominated as a new “wonder of the world”, where it was a finalist.
Built by French
In 1865, French politician, intellectual, and anti-slavery activist Edouard de Laboulaye proposed building a statue to represent the freedom of the American people. The French sculptor Auguste Bartholdi supported the idea of Laboulaye and in 1870 began the construction process. To start the process, Bartholdi made a trip to North American territory to select the site where the current emblem of the Americans would be.
The artist selected Bedloe Island. This island is located south of Manhattan Island, near Ellis Island and next to the mouth of the Hudson River. Although reduced in size, the location would allow the statue to be visible to any vessel entering New York Harbour. The construction of the neoclassical sculpture officially began in 1876 & was designed based on figures from the ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome.
Despite the distance between the two countries and the difficulties involved in building such a large monument. The complete statue was built and assembled in Paris between 1881 and 1884. As construction continued, various pieces were put on display around Paris, including the iconic face of Lady Liberty.
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They used strong materials
The skeleton of the structure is covered in some parts with plaster and inside with iron and stainless steel. The skin of the statue is made up of 300 copper panels 2.37 mm thick. Its weight is 283 tons: 31 tons of copper, 125 of steel and 127 of concrete and it is 46 metres high, not counting the base on which it stands. If measured from the ground to the torch, it measures 93 metres.
After completing the structure, it was disassembled to be sent to the United States aboard the French ship Isère in 1884. To facilitate its journey across the Atlantic, Bartholdi’s work was disassembled into 350 pieces, divided into 214 boxes.
It took nearly a year for the statue to reach present-day Liberty Island. However, the pedestal (the only piece built in the United States) was not finished. Which delayed the process of reassembling the structure for a whole year.
It was then on October 28, 1886 that the Statue of Liberty was officially inaugurated. Although it was a gift to celebrate the hundred years of American Independence, the structure arrived 10 years later.
Curiosities about the Statue of Liberty
The book the statue holds contains the date of the Declaration of Independence in Roman numerals, July 4, 1776.
Three suicides recorded since it was open to the public.
His broken foot chains symbolise the move towards freedom and independence.
Torch has not been visited since July 30, 1916. It was due to the explosion in a warehouse that sent shrapnel to one of the arms of the statue, blocking the path.
The statue moves when a strong wind blows, it tilts about 8cm and the torch 12cm.
Its crown contains seven rays and twenty-five windows.
They several hypotheses by historians about the model. That could have been used to determine the figure of the statue, although none of them is really definitive so far. There is an influence of classical Greek art.
Archaeological discoveries determined comparisons between the ancient Greek goddess Hecate and the statue figure. This goddess is the protector of the entrances to the towns, & is a torch bearer and possesses the crown of sun rays as seen on the American monument.
A model of Isabella Eugenie
For the face, a model of Isabella Eugenie Boyer, widow of the millionaire inventor Isaac Singer, was used, although according to other sources. Bartholdi would have been inspired by the face of his mother. Charlotte Bartholdi (1801-1891), and it is the most considered hypothesis until now. The present New York.
Other versions maintain that Bartholdi would have wanted to reproduce the face of a girl perched on a barricade holding a torch. The day after Napoleon III’s coup.
The most famous migrant has undergone changes in her appearance due to the chemical reaction between metal and water. Although initially it had a reddish appearance. This process, better known as patination, has given a green-blue colour to the iconic symbol of freedom in America.
In addition, the torch was removed during the eighties to cover it with gold. Since this element served as a beacon for ships arriving in New York. But it was necessary to use a complete power plant to illuminate it.
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