Page 244 - DK Eyewitness Travel Guides - The World's Must-See Places

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--~~;-1 THE AMERICAS Statue of Liberty, New York

A gift of friendship from the French to the American
people, the statue was a celebration of a century of
independence. The brainchild of French politician
Golden Torch -------
The torch is a 1986 replace- Edouard-Rene Lefebvre de Laboulaye, it has become
ment for the original, which a potent symbol of freedom and democracy since it
became corroded over tlle
years. The replica's flame is was unveiled by US president Grover Cleveland on
coated in 24-carat gold leaf. October 28, 1886. Its spirit is encapsulated in a line

from the sonnet engraved on its base: "Give me your
tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to
breathe free." After years of wear and tear, the statue
needed restoration-it was given an expensive facelift
, ~ in time for its 1 OOth anniversary in 1986.

A S1atue of liberty National Monument
The statue sits on a 12-acre (5-ha) island at tlle ·~ ~ Face of liberty STRUCTURAL GENIUS
entrance to New York's harbor. For more than The sculptor's mother was
120 years, it has welcomed tlle millions of the model for Liberty's face. French engineer Gustave Eiffel, creator
immigrants to 111 e US who have arrived by sea. The seven rays of her crown of Paris's Eiffel Tower, was commissioned
represent the seven seas to solve the problems of building a large
and seven continents.
THE STATUE hollow statue that could withstand the
With a height of 305ft forces of wind and weather. His solution
(93 m) from ground to was an internal, diagonally braced frame
torch, the Statue of Liberty Frame of 1,3 50 ribs and verti ca Is. This, and
dominates the harbor. This was designed by the his use of steel posts, were seen as
great engineer Gustave structural innovations.
Eiffel, who realized that the
cop per shell would react to
the iron frame and so put a
barrier between them.
FR~D~RIC AUGUSTE BARTHOLD!
"Liberty Enlightening the World," more
Central Pylon <ammonly known as the Statue of Liberty,
This anchors the 225-ton 354 Steps was intended by its designer, the Fren<h
statue to its base. These lead from 1h e sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, as a
entrance to the top. monument to the freedom he thought was
lacking in his own country. He said, "I will try
to glorify the Republic and Uberty over there,
in the hope that some day 1 will find it again
here." He devoted 21 years of his life to the
project, traveling to the us in 1 B71 to
persuade President Ulysses S. Grant and
others to help fund the statue's pedestal.
® lEST I PlRlSI ~ Observation deck
and museum --~tt~~~::!

A Statue of liberty Museum
Posters featuring the statue are
among the items on display here.
Pedestal
The statue's base is set
within the walls of an
army fort. At the time, it
was the largest concrete
mass ever poured.

Original 18&6 Torch
This now stands in
the main lobby.

Frederic Auguste Bartholdi (1834-1904)