Most tourists, when visiting New York, undoubtedly want to see the Statue of Liberty in detail. However, many facts about the structure that stands on Liberty Island are not known to the general public. Ever wondered which one?
A statue representing Liberty, the Roman goddess of liberty, was erected a long time ago 1886. It attracts every year more than 3 million people, which they visit on their own or with a guide. What 7 things about the Statue of Liberty that we reveal this time are usually hidden from tourists?
Most people didn't even want it.
The Americans are said to have received the statue, which is the work of the sculptor Frederic August Bartholdi, from the French as a gift on the occasion of the hundredth anniversary of the independence of the United States. During the financial crisis between 1873 and 1876, much outrage was caused by the fact that France did not fully finance the construction of the building, but the USA had to contribute its share as well.
No one knows whose face the famous statue actually belongs to.
The Statue of Liberty has a distinctive face with a large nose, large lips and a strong chin. Although it represents Libertas, a real person served as the model for its creation. Many are of the opinion that the artist found inspiration in his mother, Charlotte Beysser Bartholdi.
Until 1924, it was called "Light illuminates the world".
In 1924, American President Calvin Coolidge declared the Statue of Liberty, along with the immigration station on Ellis Island, a national monument. It was then that the structure got its name as we know it today.
He could be standing in any other American city.
Before starting construction, Bartholdi wanted to choose as good a location as possible for his statue. He visited Boston, Sacramento, and Norfolk, among others, during his trips to the United States to gather support for his project.
Thomas Edison wanted the statue to speak.
It could very well happen that the Statue of Liberty would kindly address you when you visit New York. Inventor Thomas Edison wanted to equip the structure with a gramophone. Unfortunately, that never happened.
Until 1902, it also served as a lighthouse.
In an effort to justify the funds invested in the statue, President Ulysses Grant ordered that it be built to serve as a lighthouse. The light, which could be seen up to a distance of about 40 kilometers, shone until 1902.
The head of the statue was put on display in Paris.
Parts of the monument were made in France and only then shipped to the United States. In 1878, visitors to the Exposition Universelle could admire it, where two interesting inventions were also exhibited: Bell's telephone and Edison's gramophone.
