

Statue of Libertyor Liberty Enlightening the World |
Liberty Enlightening the World, commonly known as the Statue of Liberty, is a statue, given to the U.S. by France in the late 19th century, that stands at the mouth of the Hudson River in New York Harbor as a welcome to all: returning Americans, visitors, and immigrants alike. The sculptor was Frederic Auguste Bartholdi; Gustave Eiffel (of Eiffel Tower fame) created the armature.
The
copper statue of the goddess of Liberty was a present by France, as a
centennial gift to the U.S. and a sign of friendship between the two nations.
The pedestal was constructed by the United States. The Statue of Liberty
is often used as a symbol that personifies the entire nation of the United
States, much like Uncle Sam. In a more general sense, the Statue of Liberty
is used to represent liberty in general and is a favored symbol of libertarians.
Her British counterpart is Britannia, a forerunner of Lady Liberty, Britannia
represents British values and was especially well-known at the height
of the British Empire.
A smaller-scale copy of the Statue of Liberty is found in Paris, France, where it stands near the Grenelle Bridge on the Île des Cygnes, an island in the river Seine (48° 51' 0? N 2° 16' 47? E). It looks towards the Atlantic Ocean and hence towards its "larger sister" in New York Harbor.