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The Statue of Liberty was a gift to the United States from the people of France, conceived and designed as a monument to a great international friendship. But its significance has broadened and for many people throughout the world it has become the recognized symbol of liberty. See dedication poem: The New Colossus

Historical Notes:

Construction of the Statue began in France in the year 1875, by sculptor Auguste Bartholdi. The final completion date of the individual sections was in June of 1884, and it stood in Paris until it was dismantled in early 1885 for shipping to the US. Engineering of the structure's assembly was done by Gustave Eiffel.

The French frigate "Isere" transported the Statue from France to the United States. In transit the Statue was reduced to 350 individual pieces and packed in 214 crates.

(The pedestal was designed by architect Richard M.Hunt in 1877. Construction of the pedestal began in 1883 and was completed in 1884, and final assembly of the statue & pedestal was completed in 1886)

On October 28, 1886 President Grover Cleveland accepted The Statue on behalf of the United States and said in part: "we will not forget that liberty here made her home; nor shall her chosen altar be neglected".

Physical Details:

Winds of 50 miles per hour cause the Statue to sway 3 inches (7.62 cm) and the torch to sway 5 inches (12.7 cm).

There are 25 windows in the crown which comprise the jewels beneath the seven rays of the diadem. The tablet which the Statue holds in her left hand reads, in Roman numerals, "July 4, 1776" the day of America's independence from Britain.

                                       Standard          Metric
Height from base to torch                   151' 1"          46.50m
Foundation of pedestal to torch             305' 1"          92.99m
Heel to top of head                         111' 1"          33.86m
Length of hand                               16' 5"           5.00m
index finger                                  8' 0"           2.44m
Circumference at second joint                 3' 6"           1.07m
Size of fingernail                          13"x10"        13x25.4m
Head from chin to cranium                    17' 3"           5.26m
Head thickness from ear to ear               10' 0"           3.05m
Distance across the eye                       2' 6"            .76m
Length of nose                                4' 6"           l.48m
Right arm length                             42' 0"          12.80m
Right arm greatest thickness                 12' 0"           3.66m
Thickness of waist                           35' 0"          10.67m
Width of mouth                                3' 0"            .91m
Tablet, length                               23' 7"           7.19m
Tablet, width                                13' 7"           4.14m
Tablet, thickness                             2' 0"            .61m
Height of granite pedestal                   89' 0"          27.13m
Height of foundation                         65' 0"          19.81m


Weight of copper used in Statue - 200,000 pounds (100 tons)
Weight of steel used in Statue -  250,000 pounds (125 tons)
Total weight used in Statue -     450,000 pounds (225 tons)
Copper sheeting of Statue is 3/32 of an inch thick (2.37mm)

src:si-web.com