Interesting Facts About The Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty (“Liberty Enlightening the World”) is a 225-ton, steel-reinforced copper female figure, 151 ft 1 in. (46.05 m) in height, facing the ocean from Liberty Island1 in New York Harbor. The right hand of the statue holds aloft a torch, and the left hand carries a tablet on which is inscribed: “July IV MDCCLXXVI.”

The statue was designed by Fredéric Auguste Bartholdi of Alsace as a gift to the United States from the people of France to memorialize the alliance of the two countries in the American Revolution and their abiding friendship. The people of France contributed the $250,000 cost.

At the wind speed of 50mph the Statue of Liberty sways 3 inches (7.62 cm). While the torch sways as much as 5 inches (12.7 cm) at the same wind speed.

There are 354 steps to the crown of the Statue of Liberty.

The fingernail of the statue weighs about 3.5 pounds (1.5 kg).

The Statue of Liberty, the most famous symbolic statue of a woman, was modeled after Marie Bartholdi, the sculptor's mother. The Statue of Liberty is tremendous! Her nose is four and a half feet long, and her mouth is three feet wide. Her waist measures 35 feet around.

The 150-foot pedestal was designed by Richard M. Hunt and built by Gen. Charles P. Stone, both Americans. It contains steel underpinnings designed by Alexander Eiffel of France to support the statue. The $270,000 cost was borne by popular subscription in this country. President Grover Cleveland accepted the statue for the United States on October the 28th, 1886.

The Statue of Liberty was designated a National Monument in 1924 and a World Heritage Site in 1984.

On Sept. 26, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon dedicated the American Museum of Immigration, housed in structural additions to the base of the statue. In 1984 scaffolding went up for a major restoration and the torch was extinguished on July 4. It was relit with much ceremony July 4, 1986, to mark its centennial.

On a tablet inside the pedestal is engraved the following sonnet, written by Emma Lazarus (1849–1887).

The statue's mouth is as wide as 0.91.

From the ground to the tip of the flame, the Statue is 305 feet 1 inch tall. This is approximately the same height as a 22-story building.

On July 30, 1916, the “Black Tom” explosion took place. Because of this act of sabotage, the torch was closed to the public.

The crown has been closed to the public since September 11, 2001. Because the Statue of Liberty is not a traditional building, evacuating people in the event of an emergency proved to be logistically impossible.

The Statue of Liberty’s official name is “Liberty Enlightening The World.”

The torch that Liberty holds today is not the original torch. The original has been on display in the lobby since it was removed in 1984. The replacement was added in 1986. The copper flame on the replacement torch was covered in 24K gold. This makes it highly reflective in the daytime sun. At night, 16 floodlights illuminate it.

The lady in the Statue of Liberty has a waist of 10.67m. Thats really fat!

1 comment:

  1. It symbolizes the universal message of hope and freedom for every person seeking freedom. Other Than Freedom the statue of liberty has a lot of meaning. "7spikes" representing 7 continents or the ocean and Torch represents Enlightenment. "5 windows" in the crown depict the natural minerals of Earth. "Toga" depicts ancient republic of Rome and the "chains" underneath depict the fact of crushing the chains of slavery and gaining freedom. In all it means a lot more than just freedom.
    Statue Of Liberty Facts

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