The Statue of Liberty is one of the most iconic landmarks in the World. Originally called Liberty Enlightening the World, the statue was a gift to America from France. The statue was designed by Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi and is 46 metres (151 feet) tall.
The female figure depicts the Roman goddess of freedom, Libertas. She holds aloft in her right hand a torch. In her left hand she holds a tablet inscribed with the date 4th July 1776, the date of the Declaration of American Independence. At her feet a broken chain symbolises freedom and the abolition of slavery.
In February 1877 Congress approved a site on Bedloe’s Island as the location for the statue. The statue was completed in France in 1884 and then dismantled and shipped to the United States.
It arrived in New York in June 1885 and work began assembling the giant statue. The final rivet was put in place during a dedication ceremony attended by American and French dignatories on 28th October 1886.
