Interesting facts about the Statue of Liberty. Statue of Liberty - history and facts

The American Lady, known throughout the world as the Statue of Liberty, is officially called "Liberty Enlightening the World." She also has a third, more figurative and sonorous name: Lady Liberty.

The face of a huge statue is not an abstraction, but the appearance of a very specific woman. That's just what, so it's not known exactly. Most researchers are sure that the sculptor Bartholdi immortalized his mother. Others believe that the widow of the founder of the Singer empire, Isabella, posed for him.

The creator of another technocratic miracle took an active part in the creation of the statue: Gustav Eiffel. If Bartholdi was "responsible" for the external outlines of the Lady Liberty, then the father of the famous Eiffel Tower built a frame for her.

The Statue of Liberty today could not stand in the USA, but in Egypt. After all, initially the creators wanted to make a gift to the Egyptians - for the opening of the Suez Canal. But the Egyptians thought and said no. So the idea of ​​a huge woman lighting a new path to Asia with a torch had to be abandoned. And just then a loud world date- centenary of the revolution in the United States ...

The statue was made in parts. The hand and head were the first to be completed, and everything else appeared only by 1885. At first, the Americans were introduced to the hand of the future symbol of freedom, only then it did not contain a torch, but an unaesthetic lantern. The hand was presented at several exhibitions, but the public reacted to Bartholdi's work with indifference and dubbed it an "electric lantern". Then Joseph Pulitzer, who announced a fundraiser, took the initiative to install the statue. More than 12,000 people have donated. It is rare that anyone was generous in the amount of more than a dollar, but the total contribution was enough for the hand to go back to Paris, the statue was assembled to the end, then disassembled into 300 elements and sent by sea to the USA.

At first, the statue, sheathed in copper sheets, had a pleasant color characteristic of this metal, but after a couple of decades it turned green, covered with a layer of patina natural for copper. We hope the creators of Lady Liberty understood that this is how it will happen ...

It was conceived that the statue would be a kind of beacon illuminating the way for sailors. But the desired effect was not achieved even with the help of electricity: the torch light was so dim that only the most vigilant residents of Manhattan could see it. What can we say about the sailors of ocean ships ...

By 1986, the original Statue of Liberty torch was worn out and needed to be replaced. "Perestroika" was beneficial: today the new torch is noticeable day and night. During the day it plays in the sun, at night it is illuminated by lanterns.

The replacement of the torch was only part of the massive reconstruction of the statue in 1984-86. Particular attention was paid to the planks of the internal structure, made of iron and almost completely corroded in a century. They were replaced with new ones made of "stainless steel". A total of 1350 elements were replaced.

"Freedom Enlightening the World" has been meeting all travelers who have arrived in New York Bay for more than a hundred years, and is one of the world's most famous monuments, a symbol of the United States.

History of the Statue of Liberty

Shortly after cessation civil war in the United States to the French scientist and writer Edouard de Laboulet, who admired the ideas American system statehood, came up with the idea of ​​​​creating a monument that personified the acquisition of US independence.

The idea was picked up by another Frenchman Frederic Bartholdi (architect of the Statue of Liberty), who at that time was working on the creation of a female sculpture with a torch in his hand. Already in 1870, the French sculptor made the first sketches of the monument, with which he went to the USA for approval of the project. The project is approved by the American side (including Ulysses Grant, who was then President of the United States), and representatives of the two powers (France and the United States) decide to start building a monument called "Liberty Enlightening the World."

With the mutual consent of the parties, it is decided that the monument will be a gift to the United States from France for the centenary of the Declaration of Independence of the United States - July 4, 1876. By agreement between the countries, the sculpture itself was to be designed by the French side, and the American side would work on the creation of the pedestal.

However, the construction of the monument dragged on for a long 10 years ...

Hand with a torch

After the start of work on the project, it becomes clear that there is a catastrophic lack of money to create a monument. On both sides of the ocean, the initiators of the project begin to raise funds for the construction, various charitable events are organized.

In August 1876, Bartholdi was forced to bring part of the sculpture (a hand with a torch) to the United States, where the fragment was installed at the Centenary Exhibition in Philadelphia, and then in Madison Square. Visitors are charged a fee to visit the torch hand, but the proceeds are still not enough to complete the construction.

The US Congress refuses to allocate funds for the construction of the monument, citing plight American finances and the untimely erection of an "allegorical" monument, while the country needs monuments to the heroes of the Civil War.

A young journalist, Joseph Pulitzer, comes to the rescue by launching a large-scale fundraising campaign for the monument in the press. The journalist calls on Americans to unite, fiercely criticizes the indifferent, and promises to write about everyone who has made at least a small donation. The campaign is a success and after a few months the required amount was collected.

The fragment returns to France, where Bartholdi begins to work hard on the project: by 1878, the head of the sculpture had already been completed by the sculptor, and in 1879, Gustave Eiffel was involved in the creation of the monument. It was this talented engineer who designed the steel frame of the statue and the spiral staircases leading up to the crown. Bartholdi and his assistants made 350 skin parts that were supposed to be put on the frame. The parts were made of copper, which is easy to cut and bend, which made it possible to “fit” the parts right during the assembly process.

The figure of Liberty was hung by the French in 1884, after which the structure was dismantled, and all the details of the sculpture were delivered by ship in June 1885 to the United States.
The American side also did not waste time: the statue's pedestal, designed by Richard Hunt, began to be erected in 1883. With the consent of Congress and taking into account the wishes of Bartholdi, Fort Wood, which had the shape of an eleven-pointed star, and was located on Bedloe Island in the harbor, was chosen as the site for the installation of the statue.

In April 1986, the pedestal was completed, and the assembly of the complete structure of the monument began. Finally, on October 26, 1886, the grand opening of the Statue of Liberty took place: President Cleveland, after holding the parade, went to Bedloe Island, where, under general rejoicing, he tore off the French flag that covered the statue and proclaimed that “Liberty itself chose this place as its home!”

general description

Three kilometers from busy Manhattan, in the bay, the majestic Statue of Liberty welcomes all guests, travelers and its citizens.

The monumental monument with a height of 93 meters consists of the female figure(46 meters) and a concrete pedestal (47 meters). The female figure holds a torch in her right hand, and in her left she holds a tablet, on which the date of the United States Independence Day is carved in Latin letters.

At the foot of the monument lies a broken chain, representing the cast off fetters of slavery and the victory of democracy. There are windows in the crown, symbolizing the rays of the sun and gems earth. To get to the windows you need to overcome 354 steps, and if you climb just to the top of the pedestal - 194 steps. There is an elevator inside the pedestal.

The total weight is over 200 tons (together with a cement base, copper coating and a steel frame), and the length of the statue of liberty is 93 meters (including the pedestal).

At the bottom of the pedestal there is a bronze plate with poems by Emma Lazarus, which appeared here in 1903. The words of the poetess were written after a wave of pogroms that swept Europe in the late 1880s, after which crowds of immigrants rushed to the shores of America in the hope of finding a new homeland. The poems convey the idea of ​​the Statue of Liberty - the readiness to take under its roof all the outcasts and the destitute, and the promise to give them freedom and equality on this shore.

The very visit to the island of Liberty and the Statue is free, but you can only get to it by water - on ferries and boats, where you have to pay a certain amount for the trip. You can get to the Statue itself without hindrance, but the number of visitors is strictly fixed. If you do not book a ticket in advance, the visit will be limited to a walk around the pedestal and climbing to the observation deck, where you can view the Statue from the inside through a special glass ceiling.

The Statue of Liberty is open to the public all year round, but it is better to make an excursion in the warm season - in winter, a boat trip will bring very dubious extreme pleasures due to the cold northern winds characteristic of this time of year.

Interesting Facts

The history of the Statue of Liberty is inseparable from the history of the United States itself, so it is accompanied by a lot of amazing and entertaining facts:

• The personification of the friendship of two peoples: French and American, which formed the basis for the creation of the monument, was safely forgotten over time. Now the Statue of Liberty is represented in the world exclusively as main character United States, personifying the victory of democracy and the independence of the country.
• The seven rays emanating from the crown are the seven seas and continents of light, from which travelers sail to America, hoping to find shelter and a new homeland. It is a symbol of hope for all the persecuted, the destitute, a harbor for sailors and refugees from all over the world.
• Initially, Bartholdi worked on the creation of a female figure with a torch in her hand to install it at the entrance to the Suez Canal - this project was never realized, but served as a prototype for another monument. The Statue of Liberty combines two images - the goddess of freedom of ancient Rome, Libertas, and the symbol of Colombia.
• The characteristic green color of the Statue is given by the sheathing sheets of the structure, made of copper. Initially, projects were proposed to clean the surface, but then they decided not to touch the skin that protects the statue from further destructive corrosion.
• Initially, the Statue of Liberty was supposed to be used as a lighthouse, but the lamps built into the structure did not differ in power. Not finding practical application The statue, the government's lighthouse division, donated a monument to the United States War Department in 1901. Already in 1933, the monument was transferred to the US National Park Service.
• Bedloe Island, previously considered a slum area, significantly changed status with the establishment of a monument, and in 1956 was renamed Liberty Island, and 10 years later it was included in the National Register of Historic Places of the United States.
• By the 100th anniversary of the creation of the monument, a thorough reconstruction of the monument was carried out (sea spray and cold winds thoroughly spoiled appearance Statues), initiated by President Reagan. This time, funds for reconstruction among American citizens were collected in as soon as possible, and more than covered the two million dollars spent on repairs.
• Access for visitors since the establishment of the Statue was closed several times: for the period from 1982 to 1986 (reconstruction), from September 2001 until the end of 2004 (due to the threat of terrorist attacks), and also in October 2013 (during the period of suspension of the government ).
• After the successful Norman operation, the lights of the beacon on the statue broadcast the news of victory to the whole world in Morse code.

UNESCO has listed world heritage American statue in 1984, describing it as a symbol of peace, glorifying the power of the human spirit, the abolition of slavery, the victory of democracy and human rights.

The erected Statue of Liberty became at the beginning of the twentieth century the personification of independence, prosperity, free life for many travelers who crossed the Atlantic in search of a better life.

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• . And in 6 states there is not a single city where more than 99,999 people live. Unique US cities can be called because they all differ from each other not only in climatic and historical indicators, but also because almost every city has its own individual ethnic composition. A large number of immigrants from all over the world created settlements and, settling in the territory of the States, gave the existing culture their flavor. Maybe it is because of this that not a single language has been officially approved in the United States, but English is the most common American style. Los Angeles - the 2nd largest city in the USA The names of US cities are symbolic, but some may seem unusual to us, to put it mildly. For example, Big Ugly, which we translate as "Big and ugly." And on the US map there are as many as three cities bearing official name"Santa Claus". A lot of other things may seem strange in US cities. For example, the fact that almost 1/3 of the cleaners, janitors and waiters here have full higher education, but they are not at all shy about such work. Or the fact that no one forbids smoking to minors by law, but it is strictly forbidden to sell cigarettes to them. The world's first skyscraper, a local TV channel, the first parking lot and a traffic light system, the highest mountain and a large freshwater lake - all these are the advantages of different cities in the United States, therefore There are many reasons to visit each of them. 10 "most" cities in America You can't argue that each city in the States is unique, but among them you can still distinguish leaders according to certain criteria: the oldest city in the USA is St. Augustine, which was founded in 1565 in Florida; the city, the largest in area, is Sitka. It occupies almost 7.5 sq. km in the state of Alaska; most a large number of The population lives in New York - more than 8 million people. But in the same city, the most strict definition of the boundaries of each district is observed; the most populous cities are located in California; the very first city in which a cinema opened was Los Angeles, it happened in 1902; the city with the "lowest" buildings, that is, without the skyscrapers familiar to America, is Washington. The height of each building, except for the Capitol, does not exceed 40 m; the largest outflow of the population was observed in the city of Detroit. In the middle of the 20th century, almost 2 million people lived in it, and today - less than 700 thousand. By the way, this is the city with the most intense criminal situation in the United States; the poorest city in the States is Allen, just over 95% of its population are Indians; the very first city to have electricity was Wabash, Indiana; the most "British" city in the US - Byron. 5.3% of its inhabitants were born in the UK. ">Cities 2
• and cultural and historical (they were created by man in a relatively short history of the development of this land. Miracles not made by hands american nature Times SquareOf many historical monuments, it is recommended to visit Times Square, Golden Gate Bridge, Walt Disney Amusement Park, Pentagon, White House, the Empire State Building and, of course, the symbols of the United States - the Statue of Liberty and Mount Rushmore. Disneyland - the world's largest amusement park - is located in Florida. It brings together themed kingdoms, each of which is home to a fairy tale for children and adults. The White House Times Square is an iconic place in New York. A little over 100 years ago, the construction of the American subway began on this site. The square is named after the New York Times, the most read American newspaper, the publisher of which is located here. The White House in Washington is the main building of America. It houses the state government. The complex of buildings is surrounded by gardens, which were created by the first ladies of the country. Tons of others interesting places you can see with your own eyes by visiting the United States."> Attractions1
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• and equated to them by the status of the city. In total there are more than 3 thousand districts. The districts are administered by municipalities, whose rights are determined individually by each state. The USA also includes federal district Columbia, in which the capital of the state is located - the city of Washington. In cooperation with the United States, there are several independent territories, which may later become full states or terminate relations. These include Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands and Eastern Samoa and other regions. How many states are there in the USA? State of AlaskaThe list of US states consists of fifty items. When the federation was formed, thirteen colonies became part of the state. The rest of the states joined voluntarily, or as a result of commercial transactions or military actions. Among them there are record holders. In terms of maximum area, the first place is occupied by snowy Alaska, acquired in Russian Empire in late XIX century. The most populous state is sunny and warm California, with more than 35 million inhabitants. 1

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October 28 marks the 127th anniversary of one of the most famous sculptures in the world - the Statue of Liberty in New York. Today we remember the story of Lady Liberty and Interesting Facts from her life.

From France with love

Despite the fact that the Statue of Liberty is an unofficial symbol of the United States, its homeland is that which supported America in the war with Great Britain. The monument was conceived as a gift from one freedom-loving people to another, but the Americans also contributed to the creation of a masterpiece - the pedestal of the statue was made in the USA.

Better late than never

The statue could well end up in New York instead, because the author of the monument had such plans. It was supposed to be installed in the form of a giant lighthouse at the entrance to the Suez Canal in the city of Port Said. But no agreement was reached on this project.

Creative duet

The author of the Statue of Liberty is the architect Frederic Bartholdi. But another famous Frenchman, engineer Alexander Gustave Eiffel, the creator, also worked on the monument. Bartholdi was in charge of the exterior of the statue, while Eiffel was in charge of designing the iron shell and framework.

Travel to New York

In order to transport the statue across the ocean, the sculpture was dismantled into 350 parts and loaded onto the French frigate Isère. The complexity of the operation lay in the fact that the weight of the statue exceeded 150 tons. Already on American soil, its assembly and installation lasted four months.

Crown, stones and rays

The prototype of Freedom, according to art historians, was the famous French model Isabella Boyer, the widow of Isaac Singer, the founder of a manufacturing company sewing machines. Frédéric Bartholdi gave Lady Liberty an iconic touch. So, 25 viewing windows located in the crown of the statue symbolize the precious stones that are mined in the territory. And the seven rays emanating from the crown are a symbol of the seven seas and seven continents, that is, a sign of the universal spread of freedom.

Bird's-eye

To climb the observation deck located inside the crown, visitors will have to overcome 192 steps to the top of the pedestal and 356 steps already inside the monument. The reward for the effort will be a magnificent view of the coast. The total height of the statue - from the base to the top of the torch - is 93 m.

Kind with healthy

The Statue of Liberty turned out to be an excellent beacon for ships heading past Bedloe Island, on which the monument rises. Today, the need for a lighthouse has disappeared, but the Statue of Liberty does not stand idle: a historical museum is located inside it.

American Dream Unlimited

Copies of the Statue of Liberty can be found in many cities around the world. Only in Paris there are four scaled-down replicas of the famous Lady Liberty. There is its own Freedom in Tokyo, in Las Vegas, in, in Uzhgorod, in Dnepropetrovsk.

Time is money

Entrance to the observation deck, as well as visiting the museum located inside the statue, is free. But a small amount will have to be paid to take the ferry to Bedloe Island. You will have to spend not only money, but also time: visitors are carefully examined. Precautions were heightened after September 11: for example, the crown of the Statue of Liberty became open to the public only in 2009.

I work a lot with children and it is always interesting for me to probe the boundaries of their horizons when we start classes. Sooner or later I ask a question about America, something like: "What do you know about this country?" or "Which one famous monument in America?". Almost every child answers me that the symbol of America is the Statue of Liberty.

On my list of attractions that I wanted to visit in New York, the Statue of Liberty was number 8. But while walking around the city, it flashed here and there on the horizon so often that I decided to go to it earlier. Having carefully thought out the route and choosing a day, I went to find out what it is and why the Americans need this monument so much.

Statue of Liberty in numbers

It is not at all surprising that the monument is visible from many parts of New York, although it is located on Liberty Island south of Manhattan. After all, the height of the Statue is 93 meters from the base of the pedestal to the tip of the torch. At the same time, Lady Liberty herself occupies only half of the monument - about 46 meters. The length of the right hand holding the torch is almost 13 meters, and the length of the foot is slightly more than 7.5.

The Statue of Liberty, whose official name is "Liberty Enlightening the World", is fraught with many secrets. The Statue of Liberty is located on Liberty Island, Manhattan, in New York City, USA. The main material used in the manufacture of the Statue is copper.
The statue was presented to America as a gift from the people of France. It reaches a height of 46 meters, but if you count from the top of the pedestal on which it stands to the tip of the torch, then all 93 meters. The development was carried out by two people: Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, a French sculptor, and Gustave Eiffel, whom everyone knows as the creator eiffel tower.
For the first time, the idea of ​​creating a statue was voiced in 1875 and it took about a year to complete it. Grand opening The statue took place on October 28, 1886. The Statue of Liberty is a symbol of freedom, which everyone sees as a woman dressed in a robe. This is a reflection of the Roman goddess Libertas.
In her left hand, she holds a tablet inscribed with the date of the United States Declaration of Independence. Right hand the goddess raises a torch above her head. With its feet, the statue rests on broken chains that represent freedom.
10. THERE ARE MORE THAN HUNDREDS OF THESE STATUES

Hundreds of copies of the Statue of Liberty exist all over the world. 2 replicas of the Statue of Liberty, 9 meters high, are located on top of the National Bank of Liberty in Buffalo, New York. A 3-meter replica in San Marcos, California, instead of a tablet, the Statue holds a Bible. Las Vegas is known for its own Statue of Liberty, while Memphis, Tennessee has exact copy(7 meters high), who holds a cross in her hands instead of a torch.
It is known as the Statue of Liberty in Christ. Outside the United States, there is a 35-meter high statue in an amusement park in the city of Soltau (Germany) and another in the Seine (France), which was inaugurated three years after the official Statue of Liberty appeared in 1889.
Other copies can be seen in England, Norway, Argentina, the Republic of Kosovo, Australia, China, Israel, Taiwan, Japan and Ukraine.
9. UNTIL 2012, THE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE STATUE OF LIBERTY LIVED ON THE ISLAND


The manager's residence on Liberty Island is a simple two-story brick house. It was built in the early 1950s to house the Statue of Liberty National Monuments Officer and his entire family. This house was the one for all managers, as well as members of their families from October 1952 to October 2012.
David Luchsinger was the last steward living on the island who was in charge of the Statue of Liberty. Due to Hurricane Sandy in 2012, the Lachsinger family had to evacuate from their home, which suffered extensive damage. The manager's house has since been in a different location.
8. DURING THE SECOND WORLD TORCH, THE STATUE DID NOT SHINE


During the Second World War, the Statue was not illuminated at night for blackout purposes. However, it was open to tourists. December 31, 1943 The statue was illuminated, June 6, 1944 the light from the torch blinked in accordance with Morse code, symbolizing victory.
Between 1944 and 1945 more powerful lighting was installed, which was turned on for several hours after sunset for several nights in a row. Since 1957, the torch has also been illuminating the statue at night.
7. STATUE'S HAND DAMAGED BY EXPLOSION IN 1916


During the First World War, German saboteurs organized a large-scale explosion in Jersey City on Black Tom Island (now Liberty State Park). The remains of the explosive and dynamite were sent to France and the UK and resulted in the death of 7 people.
The Statue of Liberty's right arm, which holds the torch, has withstood many minor injuries. Visits were closed for 10 days while renovations were being carried out.
6. THE STATUE OF LIBERTY REQUIRED A DONATION COLLECTION TO BUILD

The Statue of Liberty is a gift that the United States received from France to celebrate the centenary of American independence and to celebrate the abolition of slavery. The installation of the sculpture was financed by both parties: French and American. However, in 1885 the fundraising process began to stall, threatening the erection of the monument.
Joseph Pulitzer, publisher of The New York World, organized a fundraiser to support the erection of the Statue of Liberty. Pulitzer attracted about 120,000 volunteers, each donating about a dollar. For 6 months, the amount of $100,000 was collected, which made it possible to fully cover the cost of installing the sculpture.
5. THE TORCH WAS USED AS A VIEWPOINT


Initially, tourists were allowed to climb up to the torch, which was used as a viewing platform. However, after the explosion that occurred in 1916 for the sake of public safety the path to the torch was closed. The observation deck was never reopened.
4. THE STATUE OF LIBERTY IS THE ROMAN GODDESS LIBERTAS


The Statue of Liberty, designed by Auguste Bartholdi, symbolizes the Roman goddess Libertas. Many countries pay respect to the goddess as a symbol of freedom. This can be seen from the broken chains on which she stands. Goddess worshiped in ancient rome, personified freedom.
3. THE AUTHOR OF THE STATUE OF LIBERTY IS THE FUTURE CREATOR OF THE EIFFEL TOWER


In connection with the death of Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, who was chosen as the first architect to create the statue, the project was transferred to Gustave Eiffel, the foremost architect. Gustave became famous later as the creator of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. He immediately set to work with design engineer Maurice Koechlen.
2. BEFORE 1900, THE STATUE WAS FULLY BRONZE


The color of today's Statue of Liberty is different from what it was originally when it was erected. In fact, the color was originally bronze, but over time became a greenish-blue due to the oxidation of the metal. The United States government chose not to upgrade the statue with a different metal in order to protect the sculpture from subsequent damage. The public protested against painting the outside of the statue, so it was updated and only the inside was painted.
1. THE OFFICIAL NAME OF THE STATUE IS "LIBERTY THAT INCLUDE THE WORLD"


Before the appearance of today's name, the Statue of Liberty was called "Liberty Enlightening the World." This is the name that its architect, Auguste Bartholdi, was originally going to give. This name can be translated literally into French. The new name has been adapted for easier pronunciation.