Statue of Liberty
Ideal: Ideal for history, landmark architecture, skyline views, and a classic New York itinerary.
Erected in 1886 as a gift from France, the statue was designed by Bartholdi while Gustave Eiffel built the iron skeleton inside — three years before his own tower. The copper skin is only 2.4 millimeters thick, about two coins; the green patina came from thirty years of oxidation, though it originally shone bright copper. The broken chains at her feet carry an anti-slavery message but are barely visible from below. Americans had to fund the pedestal: Joseph Pulitzer ran a newspaper campaign that raised money from 120,000 small donors.
Quick facts
- Built
- 1886
- Architect
- Eugène Viollet-le-Duc
- Commissioned by
- Édouard René Lefèbvre de Laboulaye
- Architectural style
- Neoclassical architecture
- Height
- 46 m
- Annual visitors
- 3.7 million
Facts from Wikidata, photos from Wikimedia Commons.
Why go?
- To see one of New York's most recognized symbols up close
- For a powerful experience tied to freedom and immigration history
- To take in the Manhattan skyline from the water
Travel tip
Book ahead if you want to climb the statue or visit the island; the Staten Island Ferry is a shorter alternative for views.
