The Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty

It stands on a small island in the middle of the New York City harbor and was designed by Sculptor Frederick Auguste Bertholdi. The Statue of Liberty is said to be a gift of international friendship from the people of France in commemoration of the USA centennial anniversary in 1876.

The 151-feet (46-meters) tall monument stands atop a granite pedestal above the walls of a star shaped abutment. It was not completed and dedicated until October 28 1886. It was designated a National Monument on October 15, 1924. The Statue of Liberty has become one of the most universal symbols of Freedom and Democracy.

The statue is much more impressive when you are standing at its feet looking up. It is worth taking the ferry to Liberty Island just for this view. You cannot enter the statue itself, but you can tour the promenade at the base of the statue and you can enter the observatory inside the base and look up into the inner structure of the statue. To get to the Statue of Liberty, which resides on Liberty Island, you must take a ferry either from Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey or Battery Park in New York City. If you plan on visiting Liberty Island, you should be aware that a visit on average is about three hours, if you take a tour.

Probably the most popular icon of New York City is the Statue Of Liberty. This may be because; it represents what this country is all about, freedom. Following the Empire State Building most tourists visit Statue Of Liberty.

The Island provides plenty of area for picnics and small family gatherings and even a Junior Ranger program available for children. The observatory all the way on top of the Statue is closed to the public, due to security reasons. Admission to Liberty Island and all it has to offer is quite inexpensive. Adults pay $11.50, Senior Citizens $9.50, Children $4.50 and Children under 3 years of age gain free admission. Liberty Island opens at 8:30 am and the last ferry leaves its dock at 6:30 pm.

Truly, the Statue of Liberty have not only became a universal symbol of freedom and democracy, it has as well built to attract tourists!