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The Statue of Liberty
Statue
of Liberty,
is a national monument proclaimed in 1924.
Location:
Located in New York City, the monument consists of two small
islands, Liberty Island and Ellis Island, that lie
in the Upper New York Bay.
The Statue of Liberty is located on Liberty Island.
Ellis Island was once the location where most immigrants
entered the United States.
The Statue of Liberty is a monumental sculpture that symbolizes
freedom throughout the world. Its formal name is Liberty Enlightening
the World.
Description:
The statue depicts a woman escaping the chains of tyranny,
which lie at her feet. Her right hand holds aloft a burning torch
that represents liberty. Her left hand holds a tablet inscribed
with the date July 4, 1776 (in Roman numerals), the day
the United States declared its independence. She is
wearing flowing robes and the seven rays of her spiked crown symbolize
the seven seas and continents.
Height:
The Statue of Liberty is 46 m (151 ft) high. Its base and
pedestal increase the height of the monument to 93 m (305 ft).
Composition:
The surface of the statue is composed of hammered copper sheets
about 2.4 mm (about 0.01 in) thick that are riveted to an iron framework.
The iron frame was devised by French engineer Gustave Alexandre
Eiffel, who also built the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
The statue rests upon a concrete-and-granite pedestal designed by
American architect Richard Morris Hunt. A star-shaped wall surrounds
the 47-m (154-ft) pedestal. This wall was part of Fort
Wood, which was built in the early 19th century to defend New
York during the War of 1812 (1812-1815).
History:
The Statue of Liberty was a gift of international friendship
from the people of France in commemoration of Newyork's centennial
anniversary. It was actually dedicated October 28 1886, ten years
late.
The Statue of Liberty has become one of the most universal
symbols of Freedom and Democracy.
It was designed by French sculptor Frιdιric-Auguste Bartholdi
and completed in July 1884.
The French people donated the money for the statue.
The statue was first exhibited in Paris, then dismantled
and shipped to New York, and reassembled at its present location.
It was formally dedicated by U.S. president Grover Cleveland
on Oct. 28, 1886.
The Statue of Liberty soon became an international symbol of freedom.
It greets thousands of immigrants and visitors as they enter New
York Bay and arrive in the United States.
In 1903 the sonnet The New Colossus by American poet Emma
Lazarus was inscribed in bronze at the base of the statue.
It reads:
Not
like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land:
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp! cries she
With silent lips. Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost, to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door! |
Visit the Great Monument:
You can visit the Statue of Liberty and view it at close
range by taking the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island Ferry from Battery
Park on the tip of Manhattan every day between 9:00AM and 3:30 PM.
Tickets cost $7 for adults and $3 for children.
The money is well spent. The statue is much more impressive
when you are standing at its feet, and you get a great view of the
Manhattan skyline from the island. The lines to board the ferry
can sometimes get very long, so arrive early. If you go there early
in the morning, you can climb up to the head of the statue. Later
in the day, the wait to climb the statue can be many hours.
A trip to the Statue of Liberty and back requires a minimum
of 2 hours. Allow at least 4 hours if you want to
see a bit of Liberty Island and Ellis Island. If you
cannot afford the time or if you arrive too late in the day, take
a ride on the Staten Island Ferry. It takes you across New
York harbour past the Statue of Liberty with a great view of the
Manhattan skyline. The round trip takes about 1 hour and
costs nothing!
Facts:-
Between 1892 and 1954, approximately 12 million
hopeful immigrants from many countries stopped at Ellis Island
for immigration processing and medical examination prior to entry
into the US.
Today, the island contains a museum dedicated to the millions of
immigrants from all over the world that now make up the bulk of
ther US population.
Visit
other Wonders of the World --
Visit the Ancient Seven Wonders
--
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