Freedom statue |
Freedom statue is on Freedom island, approximately in 3 km on the southwest from a southern extremity of Manhattan, one of areas of New York.
Freedom statue costs on crossing of Old and New Light. The woman with a torch symbolises not only democracy ideals, but also throughout many years meets immigrants the saying which has been beaten out at its basis: «Give me your weariness, your poverty and breathe freely …»
«The symbol of New York and the USA», «one of the most well-known sculptures of the world», «freedom and democracy symbol», «the Lady Freedom», — what only epithets and names thought out for this statue in New York! One are amazed with its sizes, others — give a tribute to the idea which has been put in pawn in a sculpture, the third simply perceive it, as one of modern miracles of light.
Each of four millions the visitors annually coming on small island in the New York harbour where the monument is established, can size up the last. And everyone will be in own way right...
Freedom statue is really grandiose
Height of a statue from the basis to a torch tip — almost 47 metres, and together with a powerful granite pedestal — 93 metres. One nail on a hand of the woman personifying Freedom, weighs one and a half kg. Under a wind the statue is slightly shaken: the range of fluctuations reaches to 7,6 centimetres, and at a torch — even to 12,7 centimetres!
Solemn opening of a sculpture has taken place on October, 28th, 1886. But she was born not simply and not soon. The idea of creation of this symbol has arisen at the French scientist, the lawyer and the supporter of cancellation of slavery Edward Ren Lefevra де Лабулайе still in the end 1860th years. It recognised that America and France connect old friendly bonds. France rendered moral and material support to struggle of Americans for independence — French general Lafajet even became the national hero of the USA. The Parisian liberals looked at the American constitution, as on the sample for imitation. To this circle belonged and Лабулайе. Having collected group of intellectuals, he has offered as a sign of friendship with America to transfer it a certain symbolical gift from the French people...
Soon the idea of a huge sculpture was. Author Labulaje has suggested to become sculptor Frederiku Ogjustu Bartoldi who already was reputed as the founder of monumental monuments. There are data, that Бартольди, creating a statue for New York which he named «Freedom bearing light to the world», took for a basis the early project of the huge sculpture intended for Egypt. The sculptor has really visited there in 1860th years. Having got acquainted with the builder of Suez canal Ferdinand де Лессепсом, Бартольди has suggested Egyptians to create to opening of a water line between Mediterranean and Red by seas a huge sculpture with a beacon-fixture in a hand.
The statue should be called "Progress" or «Egypt bearing light to Asia». However the governor of Egypt the Ismail-pasha has not accepted this idea — probably, from financial reasons... The sculptor always denied the "Egyptian" origin of Freedom and repeated, that the project intended for America, is absolutely original. Nevertheless, curiously, what exactly Лессепс, become by a celebrity after opening of Suez canal, committee on creation «gift of France» to the United States has headed...
The set of assumptions exists and concerning the one who was Freedom model. Some, for example, consider, that the sketch of sculpture Бартольди has copied from mother — Charlottes. The riddle hitherto is not solved...
Лабулайе has advised Бартольди to go to America, to get acquainted with this country, to feel its spirit, to be typed impressions. And the sculptor has there and then found a place for the future monument — harbour of New York.
The future author of the well-known Parisian tower should project a difficult internal skeleton of a statue Гюстав Эйфель, already proved with the expert in creation of original iron designs for railway bridges. Fund raising on creation of a huge sculpture has begun in 1874. It is remarkable, that to opening as it now would name, to "advertising campaign" the special cantata "Freedom" was written by composer Charles Gounod. Since 1875, the brigade from twenty persons worked in special workshops — without days off, for ten hours per day... The Case did of copper sheets to which manually gave the necessary form.
At first planned to establish a statue to the 100 anniversary of the American independence, in 1876. But work lasted extremely slowly. On the international exhibition in Philadelphia, devoted to anniversary of independence of the USA, could deliver only a hand with a torch, and that already to the termination of work of an exhibition. Delegation then headed Бартольди. Having gone on the island Bedlouz-Ajlend chosen by it in New York, the sculptor has offered, that this scrap of a land have renamed into Freedom island. So it also happens later 80 years: in 1956 the island has received name Liberti-Ajlend.
If the problems which have arisen in France with fund raising, have been successfully solved thanks to a lottery in the USA very few people showed enthusiasm concerning pedestal erection... Then campaign for fund raising was headed by Joseph Pulittser, the publisher of the newspaper «New York уорлд». The name of this person is known under the most prestigious journalistic award in the USA-Pulittserovskoj... As a result of skilfully constructed propagation turned to simple Americans and criticising greedy money-bags, it was possible to collect donations at a rate of 100 thousand dollars (and at the same time and considerably to lift newspaper circulation!).
Now it was possible to start the pedestal building which project was created by American architect Richard Morris Hunt. The first stone in the basis have put in pawn on August, 5th, 1884. And in Paris the sculpture "has outgrown" for a long time already a workshop and has risen over a city. In June, 1884 the statue construction has come to the end; on fourth of July, on solemn ceremony, it «has been presented in gift» to representatives of America.
Next year a statue which weighed 225 tons, have taken to pieces and by the French frigate «Изер» have forwarded to the USA. There the sculpture has been again collected — on a pedestal in New York. Бартольди, having arrived on ceremony to America, has told simply: «the Dream of my life has come true». At statue opening on October, 28th, 1886 the US president Clevelend has declared: «We will not forget, that freedom has located here». At this time Бартольди was in a colossus head — it should cut a cord that from a monument the coverlet of colours of the French flag has fallen...
Since then also there is a well-known statue of Freedom on the island Liberti-Ajlend which was Bedlouz-Ajlend, on a place of a fortress the Fort-vud which is no time was protected by harbour of New York. On the tablet which is held by Freedom in the left hand, date — on July, 4th, 1776, day when independence of the USA has been proclaimed is written.
And in 1903 to a pedestal one more has been attached, the smaller tablet with Emma Lazarus's poem «the New colossus», written in 1883, within the limits of the fund raising program on a pedestal construction. It is remarkable, that the poetess could not be present at opening ceremony at all. Jeanne-Emilija, wife Bartoldi, and eight-year daughter Лессепса Тотот were the unique women admitted on opening ceremony of a statue. Here, really, historical funny thing: ideas of freedom and equality then did not extend yet on persons of "weaker sex"!.
On October, 15th, 1924 the statue has been declared by a national monument, and after even 60 years — is entered in the list the World Heritage of UNESCO.
For more than century history of a statue it some times repaired and have improved. Last large works have been finished in 1986. Then a statue for the first time began to highlight the laser. It is possible to see the image of the Statue of Freedom on licence plates of cars of the State of New York. But it became a symbol of all America. In days of the First World War of its image as «a female variant» Uncles Sam, began to appear on the posters calling for military valour.
Till 1899 Freedom Statue was the highest construction of New York. Gradually it was much more outgrown"by skyscrapers of Manhattan. However, close it still makes majestic impression. And the stream of visitors to it does not interrupt — one behind another to an islet ferries go.
Gift of Frenchmen «отдарили». In 1885 the Americans living in Paris, have presented to a city a small copy of a statue. Today it costs at bridge Grenel through Hay. It is quite similar to the original, except for the size — only 10 metres in height, that is almost five times there is less than original. And on the tablet in a hand two dates — the American and French revolutions are named...
Today exist more than 200 copies of a statue of Freedom — in 39 states of the USA, in several present and former possession of States, including in the Zone of Panama canal, both on Guam, and on Philippines... In the Copenhagen quarter Кристиания — «a city of hippie» where anarchy reigns, — too there is a statue of Freedom, more truly, a parody to it, witty made of the subsidiary materials, reminding both the original, and a huge stuffed animal. Well, to everyone — the understanding of this freedom.
