For generations the Statue of Liberty has been a welcoming sight to immigrants traveling the Atlantic Ocean to find a home in the Land of the Free. The 305 feet tall copper statue was a gift from France to the United States to celebrate the values of liberty and friendship that both countries shared. Indeed, both the American and French revolutions were the first to spread the ideals of the Enlightenment to all corners of the world. Lady Liberty stands on her pedestal on Liberty Island in the New York harbor. She also carries a tablet with the date of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence inscribed on it. It was designed by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and build by Gustav Eiffel, the architect of the Eiffel Tower. The torch-bearing arm was actually displayed in many expositions in the United States before the entire statue was placed on its pedestal. From 1886 to 1916, tourists could actually reach the observation decks of the torch and crown and gaze upon the harbor from an impressive height. This national monument is well worth a visit.
- Antonin Ducroux - USA (East Coast)