Metro Classifieds View all

Facts and figures regarding Lady Liberty

The Statue of Liberty was given to the United States by France to symbolise freedom. Find out some interesting facts about the Statue of Liberty, including its real name and when construction began.

Although the pedestal and the museum are once again open to the public, the interior of the Statue remains closed. Legislation has been proposed to reopen the inside of the statue to the public, but until then visitors can view the interior framework through the pedestal's glass ceiling.

Until September 11, 2001, the Statue of Liberty was open to the public and visitors were able to climb the winding staircase inside the statue to the top of her crown for a spectacular view of New York Harbour.

The Statue of Liberty underwent a multimillion dollar renovation in the mid-1980s before being rededicated on July 4, 1986. During the renovation, Lady Liberty received a new torch because the old one was corroded beyond repair. The Statue of Liberty's original torch is now on display at the monument's museum.

The statue functioned as an actual lighthouse from 1886 to 1902. There was an electric plant on the island to generate power for the light, which could be seen 24 miles away.

There are 192 steps from the ground to the top of the pedestal and 354 steps from the pedestal to the crown. Lady Liberty's sandals are 25 feet long, making her shoe size 879.

Lady Liberty's eyes are each 2 feet 6 inches across, she has a 35-foot waistline, and she weighs about 450,000 pounds (225 tons).

The statue's hand is 16 feet 5 inches long and her index finger is 8 feet long. Her fingernails are 13 inches long by 10 inches wide and weigh approximately 3.5 pounds each.

Lady Liberty is 152 feet 2 inches tall from base to torch and 305 feet 1 inch tall from the ground to the tip of her torch.

Symbolising freedom and the opportunity for a better life, the Statue of Liberty greeted millions of immigrants as they sailed through New York Harbor on their way to nearby Ellis Island. More than four million people visit the Statue of Liberty each year.

The inscription on the statue's tablet reads: July 4, 1776 (in Roman numerals). There are 25 windows and 7 spikes in Lady Liberty's crown. The spikes are said to symbolise the seven seas.

A quarter-scale bronze replica of Lady Liberty was erected in Paris in 1889 as a gift from Americans living in the city. The statue stands about 35 feet high and is located on a small island in the River Seine, about a mile south of the Eiffel Tower.
Lady Liberty was sculpted by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi; Alexandre Gustave Eiffel was the structural engineer. The model for the face of the statue is reputed to be the sculptor's mother, Charlotte Bartholdi. Construction of the statue began in France in 1875.

The statue was completed in Paris in June 1884, given to the American people on July 4, 1884, and reassembled and dedicated in the United States on October 28, 1886.

The statue's real name is "Liberty Enlightening the World."

Comments

• Review
  • Metro Life |
  • Misc. |
  • Facebook chatter |
• People
  • Profile |
• The City
  • Dining |
  • Nightlife, the arts and music |
  • Listings |
  • Community |
• Life
  • Travel |
  • Home |
  • Gadgets, cars and tech |
• You
  • Fashion |
  • Health and Fitness |
  • Sport |
  • Well-being |
• News
  • Local News |
  • RTA News |