The anniversary of the Statue of Liberty, the Franco-American emblem that was offered by France for the centenary, will soon be celebrated, it is not devoid of history.

The inauguration took place on October 28, 1886, "Freedom Illuminating the World" at the entrance to New York Harbor, in English "Statue of Liberty".

Today, it stands in all its splendour in New York and alone attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world every year, it is one of the most famous monuments in the world. As you might have guessed, this copper colossus is not from now on, nor from yesterday for that matter.

The truth is that the design dates back to 1885. The head of the Statue of Liberty was displayed at the 1878 Paris World's Fair in the Field of Mars. the Statues are often symbolic objects since antiquity. We talk about it in this article.

What do you need to know about the Statue of Liberty?

  • The statue measures 46 meters high and 93 meters with its base
  • Its weight is about 200 tons
  • It rises at the entrance to New York Harbor on Liberty Island
  • It was inaugurated on October 28, 1886

Who created the Statue of Liberty?

The Statue of Liberty has always been considered a symbol of Franco-American madness. By the way, its history is more or less unusual, although it is now becoming a true emblem of both countries. In admiring this little wonder, you have certainly already wondered about the history it could represent.

At the time of the opening of the project, around the 1865s, the relationship between France and the United States was rather tense. So Professor Édouard de Laboulaye, a very powerful politician at the time, had the idea of offering a present that would please his opponent. He had announced this at a meeting of which he himself had been the organizer.

The aim was then to magnify the French genius in order to impress the United States. This is to say that it was Edward de Laboulaye who was the one behind this idea. It must be noted that the idea of competing with the famous ancient Alexandria was not to displease French politicians.

Among those interested in this project is a very talented 31-year-old sculptor named Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi. Of course, he was not against the idea of erecting an imposing sculpture in the United States. This is how the decision on the creation of the Statue of Liberty was made.

If the idea came from Edouard Laboulaye, the project was taken in hand by several craftsmen who had started the design in their workshops in the northwest of Paris. Under the supervision of Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, some designed the hands, while others attacked the torch. Eugene Viollet-le-Duc came up with the idea of the repulsive technique by covering it with copper, the torch and crown on the head of the statue were built under his direction.

However, a year later, in 1866, the work was halted because the sculptor leading the mission had miscalculated the amounts needed to complete the project. It took several years for French artists to finish the sculpture of this emblematic statue of both countries.

But if the statue took several years to build, its funding slowed down at length, but with popular support, in March 1885, Joseph Pulitzer, the great press boss of the New York World, appealed to the generosity of the 153,000 readers of his daily newspaper, who, thanks to the donation of 121,000 New Yorkers, had completed the construction.

What material is the Statue of Liberty made of?

Whether you are a connoisseur of sculpture or not, you can see at first glance that the overall layout of the statue is not the most difficult. In fact, it is composed inside of wrought iron that is covered with repulsed copper plates.

To obtain the materials needed to have the desired shape, it took about 300 hammered plates. This then makes it possible to obtain an imposing statue that weighs 254 tons. For the record, the first 64 plates used for the opening of the project had been offered by industrialist.

The skin of the statue is covered with high-quality gold sheets of 24 carats. This means that the value of the statue is above all historical, but also material. As for its original rivets, they were also made of iron.

However, with the large size of the statue and the amount of iron used, its manufacture has been the source of particular safety problems. Being in constant contact with copper, the iron reacts by corroding. It is for this reason that craftsmen have replaced iron with galvanized steel.

For the record, the design of the Statue of Liberty was directed by Frédéric Auguste de Bartholdi, but its iron frame was made by the father of the famous Eiffel Tower, Gustave Eiffel. Anyway, her construction technique was simpler, but it took a long time to get on her feet. The craftsmen had first built a wooden frame in order to obtain the desired shape. Casting was not particularly difficult.

What are the symbols of the Statue of Liberty?

As stated, the Statue of Liberty symbolizes in the first place the friendship between France and the United States. At the time of its construction, both countries had just become Republicans for the second time.

With a future that promises to be rather promising for the United States, France wanted to seal a friendship with them. All this to say that the first symbol of this gigantic statue was for political purposes.

The fact is that young people nowadays tend to forget this detail, simply being captivated by its tourist aspect. Of course, this is far from its only meaning. Since 1984 it has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

As the name suggests, the statue symbolizes freedom. It represents a message from French republican politicians addressed to the authoritarian government of Napoleon III. By the way, the latter being the last security head of state had set several limits that his fellow citizens could not cross.

It was to show his struggle that Édouard de Laboulaye, a Republican with great influence, thought of this idea. It should be noted that he managed to convince many of Napoleon III's pimps with this idea.

The Statue of Liberty also symbolizes the hope of a better world. At that time, emigrants continued to arrive and for them, the view of a statue was such the promise of a better life. In other words, the statue that stands lavishly in New York was like the representative of the Promised Land. However, it should never be forgotten that this statue also had another symbol, including the struggle against oppression, which is expressed by the broken chains at its feet.

In any case, the Statue of Liberty is also the symbol of Americanism. After all, it goes without saying. In other words, it is a kind of novelty that characterizes the United States, which has become the world's leading power.

Why did France offer the Statue of Liberty?

It all began on the evening of April 21, 1865, when Édouard de Laboulaye, a highly respected law professor at the College of France, summoned his Liberal friends to a party he had organized at his provincial home in Gatigny. The latter being a true promoter of the political system adopted by the Americans, he had the wish to adopt the same regime in France. It is also known that he was the sworn enemy of the head of state at the time, Napoleon III.

However, things were not as simple as that, because the Franco-American relationship was not in its best shape because of a conflict that Napoleon III had triggered in 1970. The United States then decided to support Prussia instead of France. Edward de Laboulaye, who was a true fan of American politics, was quick to find a solution to fix the situation. Himself who was already cold with Napoleon III.

As mentioned, the idea of offering a lavish presence in the United States to form a friendship had greatly delighted the politicians who were on the professor's side. It was then for a specific purpose to sympathize with the Americans that France, through Professor De Laboulaye, had decided to put together a huge statue which she called "The Statue of Liberty".

As you will see, the story of this impressive colossus is much deeper than we think. This explains its various symbols that deserve special attention.

Liberty island

Where is the Statue of Liberty in New York?

The statue that the French have donated to the United States is located in New York City, especially in the city's port. To be more accurate in the locations, it is located on a small island that was once called Boedloe's Island, but is now referred to as "Liberty Island" south of Manhattan. Thus, the little wonder is located about 2 km south of Manhattan.

If GPS coordinates are to be provided, you just have to introduce "d" d"21.53" North and "d" d"d" d" 41.29' West." To make it easier to locate, the easiest way would be to download Google's Earth software and you'll be immediately guided to Liberty Island. Otherwise, his official address is: New York, New York 10004, United States.

This island is not far from the banks of the Hudson River. This is not to say that it is possible to swim there. Located near Liberty State Park, it is a popular tourist attraction. About 610m from the island is Marris Pesin Drive and 700m away.

Nearby, there is the popular destination for immigrants of the time, Ellis Island, with its English name Ellis Iceland. As we have just approached, Manhattan is the closest city to the Statue of Liberty, only 2 and a half km away. However, New Jersey and Brooklyn are also within 5 km.

The reason the statue is located there is that New York Bay is perfectly protected from the elements. In addition to the waters that are relatively calm, the island strong enough to accommodate the base of the statue. For the record, a military fort was even present. Also, boats rarely pass through, which also guarantees the solidity of the base.

Le ferry pour visiter la statue de la liberté

How do I take the ferry to see the Statue of Liberty?

  • The ferry takes Battery Park (go to Castle Clinton to pick up tickets) or Liberty State Park in New Jersey, starting at 8:30 a.m.: ferry schedules and fares and statue reservations.
  • The price depends on the visits you want to make: The pedestal, the crown
  • Baggage is not allowed, security requires, but $2 lockers are available.
  • Bookings are recommended.

Anyone travelling to the United States, whether for tourist or business trips, never fails to anchor on the old Boedloe's Island to admire the imposing Statue of Liberty. To get there, tourists are used to taking the ferry.

Departing from New York, you'll embark on Battery Park, which is also a historic area worth a visit. Then take the time to take a tour before taking the ferry to the island. The liberty Island ferry is accessible via many modes of transport such as Newark Penn Station, Journal Square or Hoboken.

For your information, the ferry that takes you there is not free, but not too expensive either. In other words, tickets are available to the lambda. There are even some transport companies that offer discounts on ticket prices depending on your tourist pace. Besides, you have a multiple choice for the purchase of tickets

At first, you can opt for a ferry ride to Ellis Iceland and take another to the island. The second option is to take a ferry that allows access to the pedestal. Regarding the third option, it aims to take a ferry that will allow you to have access to the crown.

As for the ferry service schedules, there are no real limits, except during holiday seasons when you need to make a reservation earlier in advance. In all cases, it should be noted that the site's opening time is from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. As for the price, it can vary from one ferry company to another. That's why it's necessary to educate yourself about the offers available.

How long does it take to visit the Statue of Liberty?

If you plan to discover all the treasures of the island and admire the sculpture as much as you like, the ideal would be to devote a whole day to the excursion. By the way, you're likely to have 3 ferry trips, from Battery Park to Liberty Island, another to Ellis Iceland and another to Manhattan.

In the meantime, you will visit Ellis Iceland and the immigration museum there. Of course, you won't forget your descent on Liberty Island which is precisely the purpose of your trip. For this, you must count a total of 4 to 5 hours.

This means that you will need to devote about 2 hours per island, including tours. The ferry ride does not take too long, but visits, even 2 hours would be insufficient to discover everything without forgetting anything. Don't forget that you'll take hundreds of photos for your Instagram feeds.

For travel time, it takes about 15 minutes to Battery Park/Liberty Island, 5 minutes to Liberty Island/Ellis Iceland and less than 10 minutes to Ellis Iceland/Battery Park. In any case, our advice is to take all the time necessary to discover in every detail the statue of liberty and its surrounding islands. That is why it was mentioned earlier that a whole day would be ideal.

How many statues of freedom are there?

If the 96 m high statue designed by France for the United States is in New York, Parisians have nothing to be jealous of. By the way, after designing this gift for the U.S. government, France also designed other statues for it. It is accepted that the latter are not as imposing as the one that stands on the island of Liberty, but there are 5 in France.

The most visible and also the most famous are those on Swan Island which is located in the middle of the seine. This statue also attracts many visitors from all over the world. The others, of even smaller version, are located in the Luxembourg garden, especially at the foot of the Beaugrenelle towers.

This means that the French can also boast of their 5 statues of Liberty.