Liberty Enlightening the World, one of the tallest statues in the world, is commonly known as the Statue of Liberty. This 305 feet tall statue is the pride of the United States and stands on Liberty Island in New York Harbor. It represents America in the hearts and minds of many tourists.

The Statue of Liberty, the biggest gift in world history was given to the United States by France, as a friendship gift in the year 1885. To mark the 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the French presented the statue to the United States. The Americans built the base for the statue, while the French under the guidance of sculptor, Frederic Bartholdi, constructed the statue itself. It is made of hollow bronze and copper plates. It was dedicated on October 28, 1886 and was designated as a National Monument in the year 1924. The statue was restored for her centennial on July 4, 1986.

The Statue of Liberty arrived in New York Harbor on July 17, 1885, which was then reduced to 350 pieces and shipped in 214 crates. The final construction of the pedestal was completed on April 22, 1886. During the time between this completion and its arrival, the statue was kept in storage. It took four months to reassemble the pieces and it was unveiled on October 22, 1886.

The Statue of Liberty's appearance is derived from ancient Roman goddess, Libertas. Libertas represents the freedom of slavery, oppression and tyranny. However the statue has been restored many a times. The symbol of the United States was closed for tourists after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 until August 2004 for security reasons.  

It is said that the statue's location in New York Harbor was chosen so that it would serve as a sign of welcome to all those entering the USA. The visit to the USA is always a joy for tourists with so many historic things and places around. The Statue of Liberty has been a great attraction for tourists over the decades. Visitors are allowed to climb the statue from the inside, using a narrow circular stair. Visitors also climb right the crown of the statue where they can get a breathtaking view of New York City across the Harbor.

There are two different tours available of the Statue and the Park, which are free of charge. A Park Ranger leads the tours. Both the tours take up to two hours and these are very much informative for children as well as adults.

1. The Observatory tour includes the observation deck, the lobby, the museum, a tour of the 11 point-star shaped Fort Wood and a view of the copper interior of the Statue of Liberty.
2. The Promenade tour also includes the details as in the Observatory tour, except the observation deck.