Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is a neoclassical sculpture made of copper and steel which stands on Liberty Island in New York Harbor.Designed by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, the statue reaches a height of 305 feet (93 meters) from base to torch tip. The statue is of Libertas, the Roman goddess of liberty. She holds a torch above her head and carries a tablet inscribed with the date of the American Declaration of Independence, broken chains lie at her feet, representing freedom from oppression.French abolitionist and political thinker, Édouard René de Laboulaye, came up with the idea of honoring the United States’ achievements in freedom and democracy, in particular with regard to the abolition of slavery and the union’s victory in the civil war. This idea was not intended as a proposal, but when sculptor, Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi heard it in an after dinner conversation, he was inspired. The project was delayed by the Franco-Prussian War, in which Bartholdi served as a major of militia. Bartholdi chose Liberty Island as the location of the statue because vessels arriving in New York had to sail past it and it was land owned by the US government. An American icon, the Statue of Liberty serves as a symbol of American values and has welcomed millions of immigrants and visitors over the years.
