The statue of Liberty was designed by a young French sculptor, Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi, who tried to build a statue like the great Colossus that once stood at the Greek island Rhodes. It was constructed in Paris, France. It took nine years before it was completed in 1884 after which it was sent to the USA. Even before the arrival of the statue, Bartholdi himself had traveled to the United States to discuss the location of the statue with president Ulysses S. Grant. Eventually it was decided to put the statue at a small island in the harbor of New York City. Today the island is known as Liberty Island.

The Statue of Liberty is 46,5 meters (151ft) tall and together with the pedestal it reaches a height of 93 meters (305ft). You can take the staircase inside the statue and walk all the way up the 354 steps to the crown from where you have a nice view over New York City. If you want to enter either the pedestal or the monument's crown it is best to reserve tickets well in advance.