CITY

Statue of Liberty: some curiosities you may not know

The famous icon of New York and the United States of America known as the Statue of Liberty was inaugurated in 1886. 

Located on rocky Liberty Island in the middle of Manhattan Bay, at the entrance to the Hudson River harbour, the statue represents a gift from France to the American people. 

Its creation was the result of a collaboration between Frenchmen Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi and Gustave Eiffel, whose work resulted in the inner steel lattice structure, connected to the outside with shaped and riveted copper sheets.

The figure depicted is the personification of Liberty, draped in a long robe, proudly holding a torch to the sky and a tablet in her hand bearing the date of the July 4, 1776 Declaration of Independence of the United States of America.

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Some curiosities about the Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is one of the most recognizable symbols of the United States of America, but how well do we really know it?
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The real name
Liberty Enlightening the World. "Statue of Liberty" is just a nickname.
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The original color was bronze 
The statue is made of copper and was a brilliant reddish-brown colour. To everyone's surprise, the statue changed its colour to a blue-green patina over the next two decades.
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Size of the statue
From the base of the pedestal to the flashlight, the statue is 93 meters tall and weighs 225 tons. Lady Liberty carries shoes measuring 879 and has a waist of 11 meters. You will have to climb 377 steps to see the 25 windows in its crown.
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The designer's mother
The Statue of Liberty was designed by Auguste Bartholdi, a French sculptor. He modelled the face after that of his mother, Charlotte.
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Shipped from France
The statue was completed and presented to the US ambassador to France on 4 July 1884. It remained there until it was disassembled into 300 pieces, packed into 124 crates and shipped by sea to the United States in 1885, where it was reassembled.
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A diplomatic gift
The statue was a gift from France to the Americans and commemorates the alliance between the two nations during the American Revolution and has become not only a symbol of freedom, justice and democracy, but also a UNESCO National Heritage Site.
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Freedom Lighthouse
Between 1886 and 1906, the Statue of Liberty was used as a lighthouse. The voltage was not strong enough to adequately guide ships after sunset, so the Liberty Lighthouse was closed after 16 years.
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Changing the flashlight
In 1986, the torch was removed and replaced with a new, bright one. The current flame is covered with 24-carat gold leaf, while the previous one can be admired at the entrance to the statue.
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The Declaration of Independence
Lady Liberty's copper plate is engraved with the inscription JULY IV MDCCLXXV ('4th July 1776'), which is the date of the American Declaration of Independence.
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Tyranny and oppression
If we could lift Lady Liberty's copper dress, we would see that her right foot is raised and she stands amidst broken shackles and chains, a symbol of leaving tyranny and oppression behind.
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Lightnings
It is estimated that the statue is struck by more than 600 lightning strikes per year. Wind gusts of 80 km/h can cause Lady Liberty to swing up to 7 centimetres, while the torch could move up to 15 centimetres, rocking back and forth.
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