12 Statue of Liberty Facts You Should Know

When one is to think about New York, one of the things that usually come to mind is the Statue of Liberty. The following are some of the most commonly known Statue of Liberty Facts.

1. The official name given to the Statue of Liberty is ‘La Liberté Éclairant le Monde’ which means Liberty Enlightening the World. The name was given by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi and he modeled his magnificent creation after the image of his own mother, Charlotte.

2. One of the most interesting facts about Statue of Liberty is that it was gift given by the French people to the American people in acknowledgment of the established friendship between the two nations during the American Revolution. Although the statue was French-made, America built the pedestal.

3. It was French writer and statesman, Edouard de Laboulaye, who proposed the presentation of the monument to America.

4. It was Gustave Eiffel – designer of the Eiffel Tower – who made the design for Liberty’s skeleton. It was constructed with four enormous iron columns to support the metal framework that holds the statue’s thin copper casing.

5. Copper was chosen by Bartholdi as it was attractive and durable enough to endure the long voyage. Copper was also known to be virtually resistant to the salt-laden New York Harbor air.

6. Prior to the final construction of the statue, some of its parts were exhibited for fund raising. The torch and the right arm were displayed in 1876 at the Philadelphia’s Centennial Exposition in 1876 and the following year the 42-foot-high monument was displayed at the Madison Square Park.

7. The official ceremonies of the Statue of Liberty dedication was held on October 28, 1886 and it was US President Glover Cleveland – in behalf of the people of America – who accepted the monument from the French people.

8. In 1924, the Statue of Liberty became a designated National Monument and it was restored before its centennial celebration on American Independence Day of 1986.

9. The size of the monument is forever going to amaze everyone – and is also one of the best Statue of Liberty Facts. It stands at 305 feet plus an inch, measuring from the ground up to the flame tip. The height is comparable to a 22-story building, and it weighs 225 tons or 450 thousand pounds.

10. The Statue of Liberty was New York City’s tallest structure when it was placed in 1886.

11. One of the many Statue of Liberty Facts for kids is that it has a crown with seven rays representing the world’s seven continents. Each ray measures nine feet long and 150 pounds in weight. The crown also has 25 windows symbolizing gemstones as well as the heaven’s rays that shine all over the world.

12. The torch currently on the statue was not the original one constructed. The first torch was made in 1876 and it is now displayed at the monument’s lobby. The torch outside was made of copper covered in 24 karat gold thin sheets, making the sunlight reflect during daytime.