Frihetsgudinnan

Frihetsgudinnan, known in English as the Statue of Liberty, is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, United States. It was a gift from the people of France to celebrate the French–American friendship and the centennial of American independence. The statue was designed by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, with the internal frame engineered by Gustave Eiffel. Built in France, it was shipped in crates and reassembled on site, where it was dedicated in 1886.

The statue represents Libertas, the Roman goddess of liberty. She wears a crown with seven rays, holding a torch aloft in her right hand and a tablet in her left hand inscribed with MDCCLXXVI, the date of the Declaration of Independence. A broken chain lies at her feet, symbolizing freedom from oppression. Made of copper, the statue rises 151 feet (46 m) from base to the tip of the torch, with the pedestal bringing the total height to about 305 feet (93 m). Over time, the copper outer skin developed the distinctive green patina.

Historically, Frihetsgudinnan has served as a symbol of welcome to immigrants and a landmark of freedom. It is part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument, administered by the National Park Service, together with nearby Ellis Island. The monument was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984 and remains a major tourist destination, accessible by ferry from Manhattan and New Jersey.

During a major restoration in the 1980s for its centennial, the torch was replaced; the original torch was removed for conservation.