Table of content

1. Why was build the statue of the liberty.
2. Who was commissioned to build the statue of the liberty.
3. What does the statue of liberty represent.
4. What material is it made of.?
5. When did it open.
6. We must take care of the statue of the liberty!
7. Can you go up the statue of liberty ?
8. The statue of liberty in the cinema

1. Why was build the statue of liberty ?

In July 4 1876 , the United Stated celebrate 100 years of independence and French people who had helped win the war decided to have a special present with his country friend.

2) Who was commissioned to build the Statue of Liberty?

The chosen one was the architect and sculptor Auguste Bartholdi.

First, he designed it taking inspiration in the Colossus of Rhodes, great bronze statue of the century III a.c. Second, he decided to find a perfect place to place it: a small island in the port of New York that we know today like the island of freedom.

Bartholdi had in mind a principal idea : the great lady would welcome all ships and it would be the first thing thousand of immigrants would see when they to United States fleeing poverty .

3) What does the Statue of Liberty represent ?

The statue of liberty represent the triumph of freedom and democracy. She has her right arm raised and in her hand she holds a large torch. The left arm holds a table in which the date of birth of the United States of America can be read in Roman numerals: July 4 , 1776. In the head is a crown with seven continents and the seven oceans of the world, although it is said that they also represent the rays of the sun.

In this way, the sculptor wanted to represent the triumph of freedom over tyranny and celebrate the abolition of slavery, something that had been achieved in the United States very recently (1865).

3) How and where was the Statue of Liberty built?

Building it was a long and difficult task due to its complexity and size. To this was added that it cost a lot of money and there was nothing else to share the expenses: France paid for the construction of the statue and the United States the pedestal. The construction lasted eight years and was carried out in Paris. Once it was finished it had to be disassembled piece by piece and put it in 214 gigantic boxes that traveled by boat to their destination, New York, where a pedestal was waiting.

4) What material is it made of?

The Statue is built with very thin copper plates that are perfectly assembled, leaving the interior empty. An internal iron frame was designed , similar to a spinal column that supports the copper sheets. The person in charge of it was the important engineer Gustave Eiffel, the same one who a few years later built another of the most famous monuments in the world : the incredible Eiffel Tower (1889).

5) When did it open?

The idea was for the Statue to be mounted in its place on July 4, 1876, just the day that it was one hundred years, after the United States independence. However, the work was delayed a lot and was not arrived in time.

It finally opened on october 28, 1886 and was a great event. The gift was delivered ten years after what was agreed.

6)¡ We must take care of the Statue of Liberty!

A monument that spends all year in the open and in such a humid place requires a lot care to keep it in good condition. One of the most important reforms was to replace the internal frame with a stainless steel one . Amenities such as heating or lift on the pedestal have also been added.