27 Shining Statue of Liberty Facts

By Madeline Thatcher, Associate Writer

Published February 25, 2019

At 305 feet tall (92.9 meters), the Statue of Liberty is one of the tallest statues in the world._[1]
The Statue of Liberty was a gift to the United States from Frenchman Edouard de Laboulaye, who wanted to celebrate America’s successful attempts to create a democracy and abolish slavery._[4]
Despite being a symbol of the American nation, the Statue of Liberty was actually designed by Frenchman Frederic Auguste Bartholdi._[3]
The creation of the Statue of Liberty was a partnership between the United States and France. The Americans built the base on which she stands, and the French built Lady Liberty herself._[3]

A 24K-gold torch is the only way to light the road to freedom

The Statue of Liberty was meant to be unveiled in 1876 to celebrate America’s centennial, but construction costs and other governmental hinderances delayed it by almost 10 years._[3]
Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, the designer of the Statue of Liberty, asked Alexandre Gustave Eiffel (whose famous tower in Paris is his namesake) to help him create the skeletal structure for the statue._[3][4][5]
The Statue of Liberty's full title is “Liberty Enlightening the World.”_[2]
The Statue of Liberty is made of over 300 layers of copper._[2]
The Statue of Liberty resides on an island in New York Harbor._[2]
The island on which the Statue of Liberty stands is now known as “Liberty Island.”_[4]
The Statue of Liberty's name and appearance were derived from the Roman goddess Libertas, whose face was often a symbol for freed slaves._[2][5]
The torch Lady Liberty holds is made of 24k gold._[2]
The Statue of Liberty holds a tablet of law with the date “July IV MDCCLXXVI” (July 4, 1776) inscribed on the cover. The tablet is almost 14 (4.3m) feet wide._[5]

Even though she's over a century old, Lady Liberty doesn't need a manicure just yet

The Statue of Liberty’s thumbnail is over a foot long (0.3 meters)._[1]
The broken chain and shackle that lie at the feet of the Statue of Liberty were interpreted by some as a nod towards the end of American slavery. More likely, however, is the chain as a symbol of breaking away from European rule._[5]
The Statue of Liberty did not always have her distinctive teal complexion. The piece was originally cast in copper, but exposure to the elements created a green patina across the entire statue. This film is called verdigris._[4]
Funds were low for the creation of the Statue of Liberty, so both America and France hosted charity events and solicited for funds in order to pay for it._[3]
The poem “The New Colossus,” which features the famous line: “Give me your tired / Your poor / Give me your troubled masses yearning to breathe free” was written by Emma Lazarus._[3]
Joseph Pulitzer (for whom the famous Pulitzer Prize in journalism and other literary endeavors is named) used his newspaper, The World, to earn funds for the statue, especially by allowing submissions to his editorial pages._[3]

Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me: I lift my lamp beside the golden door.

- Emma Lazarus

The finished Statue of Liberty arrived in America in June 1885._[3]
In order to ship the Statue of Liberty from France to the United States, she was separated into 350 different pieces and rebuilt over four months after arriving in the states._[3]
The Statue of Liberty was dedicated by President Grover Cleveland in 1886, over 10 years later than originally planned._[3]
After its installation, the Statue of Liberty became famous as a symbol for safe arrival in the New World for the millions of immigrants who arrived in America through nearby Ellis Island._[4]
Four million people visit the Statue of Liberty every year._[2]

Millions of people come to visit Lady Liberty every year

The Statue of Liberty was originally maintained by the United States Lighthouse Board but was eventually transferred to the War Department and then to the National Park Service._[3]
In 1984, President Ronald Regan lead a massive restoration campaign. The Statue of Liberty was reopened in 1986 to celebrate America’s bicentennial._[4]
After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Liberty Island was closed for 100 days and the Statue of Liberty itself was closed to visitors until 2004._[4]