Interesting Facts About the Statue of Liberty
On October 5, 1886, the Statue of Liberty was unveiled in New York City. This symbol of democracy is anything but lazy, and we'll introduce you to some lesser-known facts about one of the world's most famous landmarks.
- The Statue of Liberty was a gift from the people of France to the American people as a symbol of the friendship that developed between the countries during the years of the American Revolution. The monument was crafted in France according to the design of sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, while its assembly took place in America.
- Funds for the construction of the Statue of Liberty were insufficient on both sides of the ocean, so massive fundraising campaigns were organized in France and America. Americans were reluctant to donate money for the construction, and Joseph Pulitzer (known for the Pulitzer Prize) harshly criticized U.S. citizens. Interestingly, his newspaper articles urging people to contribute money for the construction had a positive effect.
- The Statue of Liberty is also known as the "symbol of freedom and democracy," the "Lady of Liberty," and its original name is "Liberty Enlightening the World."
- In her right hand, high above her head, Lady Liberty holds a torch, and in her left hand, she carries a tablet inscribed with the date "JULY IV MDCCLXXVI," which means "July 4, 1776" — the date of the signing of the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America.
- The statue's crown has seven rays, representing the seven continents and seven seas.
- The statue is constructed of copper sheets installed on a metal framework. Initially, it was not green; it turned green over time due to atmospheric effects. Interestingly, the events in the movie "Titanic" take place in 1912, when the Statue of Liberty still had its original color, but in the film, it is depicted as green.
- Gustave Eiffel, the architect who designed the world-famous Eiffel Tower in Paris, was involved in the creation of the Statue of Liberty. He designed a massive steel support and an intermediate structural framework for it.
- The height from the ground to the tip of the torch is 93 meters. The height of the statue itself, from the top of the pedestal to the torch, is 46 meters. Casting the statue required 31 tons of copper, and the total weight of the steel structure is 125 tons.
- Winds at a speed of 100 km/h cause the monument to sway 7.62 cm, while the torch sways 12.7 cm in such wind.
- In 1984, the Statue of Liberty was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites under special protection.
