The Statue of Liberty is a symbolic monument situated at the Liberty Island of the well famed New York City. The French sculptor, Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi designed this prodigious, classical sculpture and devoted on October 28, 1886. This 125 year old monumented sculpture, well known as ‘Liberty Enlightening the World’ was primitively dedicated as a ‘gift of friendship’ by the French people to the United States of America on its 100th Independence Anniversary.
If you are planning to visit the Statue of Liberty, a great monument of the American land, you are about to reveal the best moments of your life. The iconic visage and sedate eyes of the ‘Lady Liberty’ gives you a good demonstration of the hope for a newfound life eradicating the despairs of life. As she raises her torch, she declares victory and hope for the crouched, miserable, and weary people welcoming them in a gracious manner.
Facts You Need to Know
Before going in for a visit to the Statue of Liberty, it is good to know the facts and know-hows to make your trip more exciting and lively. Designated as a ‘National Monument’ of the United States of America, this alluring memorial has successfully attracted nearly 3.2 million of travelers every year.
From the ground level to the tip of the flame in the torch, the Statue of Liberty stands tall with a height of almost 305 feet. However, the height of the Statue alone is 151.1 feet. It has a waistline of about 35 feet. It weighs 450,000 pounds or 225 tons which includes 60,000 pounds of pure copper.
The Statue was originally made up of copper which has slightly turned its color to green due to some chemical reaction caused over a period a years. The outer part of the Statue has a copper covering with thickness of 3/32 of an inch approximately. The winds near the Statue make it to sway 3 inches and its torch 5 inches when blown at a speed of 50 miles per hour.
The Statue was disassembled into 300 pieces and later bundled up into 214 wooden boxes for the purpose of transferring it to the state of New York in the USA from Paris in France. This New York historical monument was made with the help of an iron structure constructed by Gustave Eiffel who created the Eiffel Tower. The monument has also used fine copper shell and wooden molds in its creation.
Things to be Viewed
The Lady Liberty is seen to hold a tablet in one of her arms that has a text with some Roman numerics. The tablet is 23 feet and 7 inches in height with a breadth of 13 feet and 7 inches. The text shows July IV, MDCCLXXVI which is actually the date of declaration of the American Independence i.e. July 4, 1776.
The pedestal of the Statue was designed by a Paris trained, notable American architect named Richard Hunt. He completed the work of building the 89 feet high pedestal of the Statue in the year 1886. It is an astounding piece of construction which has a poem written by on a plaque present inside it. The title of the poem is ‘The New Colossus’, which is written by a famous poet Emma Lazarus.
The 7 spikes or rays on the crown of the Statue of Liberty give a depiction of the 7 seas and 7 continents of the world. Each of these spikes weigh just about 150 pounds and measure 9 feet in height. The broken chains or shackles at the feet of the Statue show freedom from tyranny, subjugation, and oppression.
In order to reach to the crown of the Lady Liberty, you are required to climb a total of 354 steps. However, if you want to reach the pedestal of the Statue then you need to climb 192 steps. There are twenty five jewel windows in the crown of the Statue which gives you a good look of New York City. These twenty five jewel windows showcase the twenty five gemstones present in the earth.
Preparation Before the Visit
The Liberty Island where the Statue of Liberty is located is operational on all the days of the year excluding the ‘Christmas Day’, i.e., December 25. Make sure that you leave early as it may consume time to make through the security procedures before you board the ferry system. The first ferry departs from Mainland at 9:00 am, while the last ferry departs from the same departure location at 3:30 pm. The return ferry departs from the Liberty Island at 5:00 pm.
It is essential to know that there are no locker storage areas at the security procedure services. During peak seasons and vacation times, the wait times can vary from many to several hours. It is recommended to purchase the tickets from Statue Cruises to avoid excess expenditure and additive costs.
Park Rangers is one of the noted tour agencies that provide guided tours for the travelers. Besides, there is an audio self-guider tour that help you to explore the important facts of the Statue and know more about it. It is also helpful for the visually impaired individuals.
Hotels Nearby
The Ritz-Carlton New York: This is a business hotel which is located in Battery Park near the Museum of Jewish Heritage. It is well equipped with a lounge, restaurant, business center, ample parking space, and constant web access.
NYC-JC Guest Suites: This family oriented apartment hotel provides a fitness center, pool, spa, kitchenette, and other amenities to make your stay enjoyable. It is about 1.8 miles from the Statue of Liberty.
Brooklyn Motor Inn: This is a nearby Inn which provides complimentary guest parking wireless web access for the visitors. Besides, it provides good concierge services, room services, and secured parking with multi-line telephone facility.
Don’t hold back on visiting the America’s graceful monument of all times- The Statue of Liberty- to make your tour a remarkable one.