Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty is one of the most iconic and recognizable landmarks in the world. Located on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, this colossal copper statue was a gift from the people of France to the people of the United States. Designed by French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and built by Gustave Eiffel, the statue was dedicated on October 28, 1886. The statue depicts Libertas, the Roman goddess of freedom, holding a torch above her head in her right hand and a tablet inscribed with the date of the American Declaration of Independence in her left hand. The statue stands 151 feet tall, including the pedestal, and is made of copper sheets that have oxidized to a beautiful green patina over time. The statue's internal framework was designed by Gustave Eiffel, who also built the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The statue's pedestal is inscribed with the famous phrase "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!" from Emma Lazarus's sonnet "The New Colossus." The Statue of Liberty has become a symbol of freedom and democracy, welcoming millions of immigrants to the United States and inspiring countless works of art and literature.