Statue of Liberty

Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France to the United States in 1876 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of American independence. It is located on Liberty Island near New York City in the state of New York and is an important tourist attraction in the U.S. The Statue of Liberty weighs 450,000 pounds, stands 46 meters tall, and its pedestal is 45 meters high. Its full name is the “Statue of Liberty National Monument,” and its official name is “Liberty Enlightening the World.” The entire copper statue has a framework of 120 tons of steel, an outer skin of 80 tons of copper sheets, and is assembled and fixed to the support structure with 300,000 rivets, bringing the total weight to 225 tons.

The internal steel framework of the statue was designed and fabricated by architect Eugène-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc and the renowned French engineer Gustave Eiffel, who is famous for building the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The Statue of Liberty is a symbol of the United States, with the world-famous statue standing tall on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, symbolizing the noble ideals of the American people's pursuit of freedom, as well as their aspirations and longing for a better life.

The statue wears a Greco-Roman robe and a radiant crown with seven spikes that represent the seven continents and four oceans of the world. For over a century, the copper statue standing on Liberty Island has become a symbol of the friendship between the American and French peoples, forever embodying the American people’s lofty ideals of striving for democracy and freedom.

Ferry lines to Liberty Island are always crowded with long queues, and the entrance area to the statue zone is often packed. You can take an elevator up to the observation deck at the top of the pedestal, which offers an ideal vantage point. You can also climb 12 stories (168 steps) to reach the crown of the statue. However, the torch, which stands 305 feet (approximately 92.964 meters) above sea level, is not open to the public. The widely recognized Statue of Liberty, officially named “Liberty Enlightening the World,” is a national monument of the United States. Today, it is even more deeply rooted in people’s hearts as a global symbol of democracy and freedom. Her majestic form is striking—the statue rises 152 feet (approximately 46.32 meters) from the ground, with a pedestal 89 feet (approximately 27.127 meters) tall and a waist circumference of 420 inches (approximately 10.668 meters). Her unsmiling mouth is three feet (approximately 0.914 meters) wide. Beneath her feet lie the remnants of broken shackles. Her left hand holds a tablet inscribed with July 4, 1776, the date of America’s Declaration of Independence. Designed by the French civil engineer Gustave Eiffel, who is known for designing the Eiffel Tower, the statue was funded by France and took ten years to build, symbolizing the friendship between the two nations. It is situated on Liberty Island. On October 28, 1886, U.S. President Grover Cleveland presided over its unveiling ceremony. Since then, every ship entering New York Harbor has passed by it. It is estimated that millions of immigrants have entered the United States beneath the statue’s 42-foot (approximately 12.8-meter) right arm. The interior of the Statue of Liberty is hollow, and visitors can take an elevator all the way up to the head of the statue.

Transportation: Starting from downtown, you can take subway lines 1 or 9 to South Ferry Station, or lines 4 or 5 to Bowling Green Station. Alternatively, you can take buses M1 or M2 and get off at Battery Park City. Then take a ferry to Liberty Island. Ferry schedule: 09:15–16:30, every hour (every 30 minutes in July and September). Travel time: about 15 minutes one way (boarding at New York Harbor). Tip: It is recommended to take an early ferry, which generally runs every 30 to 45 minutes. Try to avoid peak times, such as weekends and holidays. Free stops on Ellis Island are available when taking the ferry, but if you take the last ferry, you can only go to Liberty Island. Admission & Opening Hours: Fee: $10 for adults (includes round-trip ferry fare), $5 for children and seniors. Opening Hours: Daily from 9:00 to 16:00; closed on Christmas Day. Phone: 1-212-363-3200

New York, USA