The Statue of Liberty in New York harbour.
The Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World), is a colossal sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbour, designed by Frédéric Bartholdi and dedicated on October 28, 1886. The statue, a gift to the United States from the people of France, is of a robed female figure representing Libertas, the Roman goddess of freedom, who bears a torch upon which is inscribed the date of the American Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776. The statue has become an icon of freedom and of the United States.
After the September 11 attacks in 2001, it was closed for reasons of safety and security; the pedestal reopened in 2004 and the statue in 2009, with limits on the number of visitors allowed to ascend to the crown. Public access to the balcony surrounding the torch has been barred for safety reasons since 1916.
The statue is situated in Upper New York Bay on Liberty Island, south of Ellis Island. Entrance to the Statue of Liberty National Monument is free, but there is a charge for the ferry service that all visitors must use, as private boats may not dock at the island. The ferries, which depart from Liberty State Park in Jersey City and Battery Park in Lower Manhattan, also stop at Ellis Island, making a combined trip possible. All ferry riders are subject to security screening, similar to airport procedures, prior to boarding. Those wishing to climb the staircase within the statue to the crown purchase a special ticket, which may be reserved up to a year in advance. Climbers may bring only medication and cameras—lockers are provided for other items—and must undergo a second security screening.
Location: New York harbour
Photographer: brian swales
