Exact Answer: 9 years
Liberty Enlightening the World was the initial name for the Statue of Liberty. It was presented to the United States by France to commemorate their Revolutionary War cooperation. The monument was designed by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, and the iron structure beneath the copper plating was created by Gustave Eiffel (the person who constructed the Eiffel Tower).
In 1885, the statue was created in Paris and sent to the United States. During the construction of this statue, different parts of it were exhibited in Paris. The head of Miss Liberty, as well as her torch, were on display in the Tracadéro’s grounds.
How Long Did It Take To Build The Statue Of Liberty?
What happened | When happened |
Construction begins | 1876 |
Construction completed | 1885 |
The building of the Statue of Liberty in France took nine years, and it was completed in 1885.
As Bartholdi was tasked with designing a monument for the Suez Canal in Egypt, he fell off the wagon. Laboulaye contacted him about erecting a memorial to America. He created the Statue of Liberty using the same concept and design that was envisioned for Egypt’s monument. The flowing attire was turned into the robes of liberty instead of the traditional Egyptian women’s apparel.
Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi hammered and molded copper into the shape of Lady Liberty using his sculpting abilities. The copper, on the other hand, would never be able to resist the powerful gusts in New York City. Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel came up with the idea of using steel beams to construct a frame for Bartholdi’s copper panels. This will help keep the building in place and well maintained for many years to come.
The seven points on the crown of the Statue of Liberty represent the world’s seven oceans and continents. The spokes are meant to resemble rays, which reflect Liberty’s divine nature and her perpetual existence on Planet. The date when the Declaration of Independence was signed-July 4, 1776-was engraved on the stone slab with Roman numerals. It appears as if this is in numerals: JULY IV MDCCLXXVI.
The Statue of Liberty was completed in 1885. She is 111 feet 6 inches tall and weighs about 225 tons. That’s the equivalent of around 14 and a half D6 dozers.
Why Did It Take That Long To Build The Statue Of Liberty?
The monument had to be dismantled into 350 parts and put into 214 wooden crates before being transported to New York City. The statue took four months to build.
To fund the monument, a collection was started in France, which raised 2,250,000 francs ($250,000). It may not appear to be much, yet $250,000 in the nineteenth century is equivalent to millions of dollars now. Both the United States and France engaged in fundraising efforts, and it took a long time to gather enough funds to complete the project.
While the statue was being made in France, workers in New York began preparing the ground for the monument to be placed on. Fundraising activities in the United States include competitions, events, and exhibitions to raise funds for the construction of the base of the Freedom. A pedestal was being built to display Liberty’s beauty and power.
A 114-foot-high pedestal was built with an even larger expense. The huge lady is supported by an 87-foot tall structure with a granite veneer that hides the concrete and steel that supports her. The pedestal itself took three years to finish.
The 214 wooden boxes arrived after the pedestal was finished. The statue and pedestal stood at a total height of slightly over 305 feet (93 meters). In front of thousands of New Yorkers and spectators, President Grover Cleveland formally unveiled and dedicated the monument on October 28, 1886.
Conclusion
The Statue of Liberty now makes little over $263 million per year and attracts between 3.5 to 4 million tourists each year. You’d have to ascend 354 steps to the top of the crown, where you’d be able to gaze out one of the 25 windows at the harbor.
This monument has not only become a symbol of New York City, but also a symbol of the entire United States of America. It’s easy to experience a deep feeling of tranquility and inspiration when you see this woman with her torch extended, illuminating the globe with hope for freedom and peace.
The Statue of Liberty demonstrates that construction is about more than just erecting structures. We may use architecture to build long-lasting icons that express our hopes, ambitions, and quest for Liberty.