When was the Statue of Liberty built?
The Statue of Liberty was built in France between 1875 and 1884, shipped to New York in pieces and dedicated on October 28, 1886. It was a gift from France to the United States.
French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi designed the statue, and Gustave Eiffel, who later built the Eiffel Tower, engineered its iron framework. The statue's outer skin is made of thin copper sheets. It was a gift to celebrate friendship between the two nations and the American Declaration of Independence.
The statue was taken apart and shipped across the Atlantic in 1885 in more than 200 crates. Americans raised money for the pedestal, helped by a fundraising campaign led by newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer. It was reassembled on Bedloe's Island, now called Liberty Island, in New York Harbor.
A symbol of welcome
The statue represents Libertas, the Roman goddess of liberty. She holds a torch and a tablet inscribed with July 4, 1776, in Roman numerals. For millions of immigrants arriving by ship, she was their first view of America. The copper turned green over time due to oxidation.
Did You Know?
From the ground to the tip of the torch, including the pedestal, the Statue of Liberty is about 93 meters tall.