The Statue of Liberty, also known as Liberty Enlightening the World, was given to the United States by France as a sign of friendship between the two nations and to commemorate the 100th anniversary of United States’ independence in 1876.

Designers

Sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi designed the Statue of Liberty and Alexandre Gustave Eiffel designed the iron framework.

The pedestal that the Statue of Liberty stands upon was designed by Richard Morris Hunt and was dedicated on October 28, 1886.

Design and Symbolism

This statue of the Goddess of Liberty stands for freedom and independence. In the left hand she holds a tablet with the date July 4, 1776 marked upon it. This date represents the Declaration of Independence. In her right hand she holds the Torch of Freedom. The broken chain seen near her feet symbolizes the victory of Liberty over Tyranny. The seven spikes on the statue’s crown represent the seven seas or the seven continents of the world.

The Statue of Liberty stands 151 feet tall from her sandals to the tip of her torch and weighs 225 tons. With the pedestal included the entire ensemble stands 305 feet tall.

The Statue of Liberty is made of thin copper plates were hammered into wooden forms and mounted onto a steel skeleton.

Inside are an elevator and a stairway that lead to the top of the pedestal where there is an observation deck in which visitors can view New York City and New York Harbor. At one time, a set of spiral stairs also led to the crown so that visitors could have a broad view of New York Harbor. Since September 11, 2001 this stairway has been closed.