About Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty is the torchbearer of democracy, a colossal copper gift from France that welcomed millions of immigrants to the New World. Standing on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, Lady Liberty breaks the chains of tyranny at her feet and holds the lamp beside the golden door. She is the face of America, oxidizing over decades from penny-copper to her distinctive verdigris green.
Satellite views isolate her on her star-shaped fortress base (Fort Wood) in the middle of the water. She looks small relative to the harbor but serves as the focal point between New Jersey and Manhattan. The ferry wakes create white streaks pointing towards her island. She faces southeast, greeting ships entering the harbor from the ocean.
To see her is to feel the weight of the hopes she represented to tired, poor, huddled masses. The view from her crown or pedestal, looking back at the Manhattan skyline, connects the dream with the reality of the city. She is stoic and resolute, a universal symbol of freedom that transcends her physical form of copper and steel.