Unveiling the Secrets: Top 14 Fun Facts About the Statue of Liberty You Never Knew!

1. Accessorizing with Broken Chains

Who knew Lady Liberty was into accessorizing? Hidden beneath her fashionable drapes lies a symbol of fierce independence: The Statue of Liberty proudly displays a broken chain and shackle at her right foot, representing the end of oppression and the pursuit of liberty, while also clutching a tablet engraved with the iconic date of July 4, 1776.
Source => obamawhitehouse.archives.gov

2. Ooh La La, a French Backstory

When Lady Liberty isn't busy holding up America's everlasting yard sale of freedom, she's got a spicy French backstory that'll make you go "ooh la la": The Statue of Liberty, a 305-foot tall pièce de résistance, was created by French sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi and gifted to the US in 1876, making our shores the ultimate recipient of the world's most oversized copper housewarming present.
Source => britannica.com

Did you know the Eiffel Tower is quite the fashionista? Discover its colorful history and unique gradient design that keeps it looking chic every seven years. 🎨🗼

=> Fun Facts about The-Eiffel-Tower

3. Reddish-Orange to Green Beauty

You might say Lady Liberty has seen better daze: Before her worldwide fame as a green goddess, the Statue of Liberty actually sported a striking reddish-orange hue, thanks to the copper sheets used in her construction. Over the years, oxidation and exposure to sea spray and pollution transformed her look, creating a blue-green patina called verdigris—which, believe it or not, now protects her from further damage!
Source => zmescience.com

4. Pulitzer's Fundraising Crusade

Get ready to tip your hat to Pulitzer's crusade: The extraordinary Joseph Pulitzer sparked a nationwide firestorm of generosity to fund the pedestal for the Statue of Liberty, rallying over 120,000 donors who put in a whopping $100,000, giving Lady Liberty a sturdy and well-financed leg to stand on in the majestic New York Harbor.
Source => history.com

5. Salsa Dancing Statue

When Lady Liberty isn't lifting her lamp beside the golden door, she doubles as a professional salsa dancer, swaying to the rhythm of New York's gusts: Winds blowing at 50 miles per hour cause the statue to move 3 inches, while her torch glides 5 inches, and yet, this 62,000-pound copper and 250,000-pound steel beauty stands firm on her 54 million-pound concrete foundation, with her copper skin only 3/32 of an inch thick.
Source => statueoflibertyclub.com

6. Unofficial Lighthouse Lady

Lady Liberty's torch: a beacon of confusion! This glowing symbol of freedom and hope pulled double duty as New York Harbor's unofficial lighthouse, slyly guiding ships to safety. However, despite playing a crucial role in navigation, our beloved statue never received official recognition or funding from Uncle Sam for her lighthouse duties: the lighted torch was maintained by the Lighthouse Board for only a short time after its installation in 1886, leaving it mostly in the dark as a navigational aid.
Source => lighthousefriends.com

7. Epic Dedication Ceremony

If Lady Liberty could've taken a selfie back in her heyday, she would've broken the internet with her fabulous dedication ceremony: On October 28, 1886, over a million people attended the event, with Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi and French and American dignitaries in tow, featuring parades, fireworks, and speeches celebrating freedom and democracy.
Source => nps.gov

8. Copper Wafer Skin

Lady Liberty may have a heart of gold, but her skin's just a copper wafer: The Statue of Liberty's exterior is made of copper sheeting only 3/32 of an inch thick or 2.37mm, yet she still boasts a hefty 62,000 pounds (31 tons) of copper and a 250,000 pounds (125 tons) steel framework to hold her together. Resting on a 54 million pound (27,000 tons) concrete foundation, she's certainly no lightweight in the landmark world!
Source => statueoflibertyclub.com

9. Brotherly Face Inspiration

Who needs a mom-ument when you have a brother? One might assume that Lady Liberty's face was lovingly based on the mother of her sculptor, Bartholdi, but that's where you'd be mistaken: The regal visage actually resembles Bartholdi's mute brother, Jean-Charles, providing the sculptor ample opportunity to study his sibling's features during frequent, silent visits as he cared for him in his later years of mental illness.
Source => dailymail.co.uk

10. Baguette-Burrito Fusion Friendship

Ahoy, liberty lovers! Gather 'round the green gal who sailed across the sea to grace America with her freedom-loving gaze, embodying a Franco-American bond stronger than a baguette-burrito fusion: The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France to the United States, symbolizing their friendship and partially funded by French citizens. Conceived after the end of American slavery, this 305-foot copper-clad wonder stands tall on a 154-foot pedestal, with her own height being 151 feet, and her unique verdigris hue resulting from a whopping 62,000 pounds, or 31 tons, of copper sheets.
Source => bensguide.gpo.gov

11. Flirting with Pharaohs

When Lady Liberty flirted with the Pharaohs and ended up in bed with Uncle Sam instead: The Statue of Liberty was initially planned to grace the entrance of the Suez Canal in Egypt, but after being turned down, it was gifted to the US by France as a symbol of friendship and solidarity following the American Civil War.
Source => traveltips.usatoday.com

12. Swanky Sway and Lightning Attraction

Miss Liberty certainly knows how to roll with the punches, or rather, dance with the gusts: The Statue of Liberty can sway up to three inches in any direction during heavy winds, and her torch gives a nod with up to five inches of sway, all thanks to Gustave Eiffel's cutting-edge iron skeleton design. And as a prime example of a shocking attraction, she's been struck by an electrifying 600 lightning bolts annually since gracing New York Harbor with her presence.
Source => thebattery.org

13. Rockstar Torch Replacement

In a blaze of glory that would make any rockstar green with envy, Lady Liberty had to trade in her fiery stage prop for something a bit more, shall we say, family-friendly: the Statue of Liberty's original flaming torch was replaced in 1986 for safety reasons and coated in 24k gold leaf, lighting up the night sky with a system of 16 floodlights, giving this leading lady quite the long-range visibility.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

14. Penny-Copper Couture

Before Lady Liberty decided to go green with envy towards her European counterparts, her true colors shone through as a tribute to her beloved penny-collecting nation: Originally completed in 1886, the Statue of Liberty boasted a copper complexion that, over time, transformed into its iconic green patina due to natural oxidation and exposure to the elements.
Source => newyorker.com