Statue of Liberty Facts

The Statue of Liberty is one of the most enduring icons of freedom and liberty.

It is also frequently identified with the United States as a nation. Following are some interesting facts about the statue.

The exterior of the Statue of Liberty is mostly made up of copper.
The original statue was not green, instead the copper exterior has oxidized over time and has become green.
The statue represents Libertas, the goddess of liberty in Ancient Rome.
The statue was a gift from France to United States. It was given in 1886, soon after the American independence.

Statue of Liberty – Liberty Island

The crown of the statue has 25 windows. It has seven spikes – each spike represents an ocean and a continent.
Together, the seven spikes denote the universal appeal and relevance of the statue.
The height of the statue from the heel to the top of the head is around 111 feet.
The height of the statue from the base of the pedestal to the tip of its raised torch is around 305 feet.

The statue weighs around 225 tones. That is around 450,000 pounds.
The statue originally had a different torch.
In 1986, the original torch was replaced with a new torch covered in 24k gold leaf.
Near the statue’s feet lie broken chains with one foot slightly raised above the ground.
The chains denote oppression and the raised foot denotes that the statue is stepping out of oppression to embrace liberty.

7/4/1986 Nancy Reagan waves while visiting the Statue of Liberty in New York City

From the pedestal to the head of the statue, there are 154 steps.
The total cost of the statue was covered through donations in both France and the United States.
The Statue of Liberty was erected in 1886. At the time, it held the record of being the tallest iron structure in the world.

Every year, hundreds of light bolts hit the statue due to its height.
In all, it is estimated that nearly 600 light bolts hit the statue annually.
The poem ‘The New Colossus’ is written about the Statue of Liberty.
The poem, written in 1883, was engraved on a bronze tablet and placed at the pedestal of the statue in 1903.
The Statue of Liberty is located on an island. The island was named Liberty Island in 1956.

Statue of Liberty frontal As viewed from the ground on Liberty Island

Initially, it was possible for visitors to reach the torch of the statue through stairs.
In 1916, the stairs were damaged and closed.
They have been closed since so that no visitors have been able to visit the torch since its repair.
The statue was built in France and comprised of 300 separate pieces.
It was then transported to United States and reassembled upon arrival.
The statue was designed by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, a notable French sculptor.

The metal framework of the statue was constructed by Gustave Eiffel, who also constructed the Eiffel Tower.
300 different types of hammers were used to shape the copper of the statue.
In 2009, the statue attracted more than 3 million annual visitors.

Statue of Liberty Resources