Location:  Standing on Liberty Island, at the entrance to New York harbor is a 151-foot copper statue of a woman holding a book and a torch. This magnificent monument was a gift of friendship from the people of France to the United States to commemorate the 100th anniversary of American independence.

The torchbearer: Liberty is carrying the torch of freedom in her right hand. In her left hand she holds a tablet with the inscription "July 4 1776" –American Independence Day.

Torch: The torch towers 305 ft above the base and was recently replaced. At night it is brightly lit by power mercury lamps.

The Base: The Statue of Liberty is mounted on a concrete pedestal over 150 ft high. Inside the Pedestal there’s an open stairway and a lift that takes visitors up to the foot of the statue, where there is a balcony.

Interior: The statue is hollow inside. Between its massive steel columns, a parallel stairway spirals up from the pedestal to the crown. The Stairway has 171 steps. Another stairway leads on up to the torch, but this is not open to the public.

History:

The Statue of Liberty was a gift of international friendship from the people of France to the people of the United States and is one of the most universal symbols of political freedom and democracy . The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886 and was designated a National Monument on October 15, 1924.

The sculptor intended his work to be an immense and impressive symbol of human freedom.

Current Condition:

The Statue was extensively restored in time for her spectacular centennial on July 4, 1986. The Torch was also recently replaced.

Fun Fact:

The Statue’s framework was designed by Gustave Eiffel, who also built the Eiffel Tower in Paris.