Statue of Liberty

She's tall, brave and beautiful. "She" is the ever-iconic Statue of Liberty -- also known as Lady Liberty and more formally as Liberty Enlightening the World -- and since 1886 she has stood on New York Harbor's Liberty Island as a welcoming beacon of hope, democracy and independence.

A gift from the French to the United States to celebrate the bond of friendship forged between the two nations during the Revolutionary War, the statue was originally slated for completion in time to mark the 1876 centennial anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. To this end, the French commissioned Frederic Auguste Bertholdi to sculpt the copper-and-steel colossus, Gustave Eiffel (yes, of Eiffel Tower fame) to engineer the internal structure, and Eugene Viollet-le-Duc to implement a method to place copper sheathing over a framework of steel.

The result was a work of art so mammoth that it had to be shipped to the U.S. in 350 pieces. When assembly was completed on Oct. 28, 1886 -- a full 10 years late -- there stood a 151-foot-tall (305-foot-tall, if you include the pedestal and foundation) woman clad in a stola (the female version of a toga) and radiant crown; holding a torch aloft with her right hand and a tablet inscribed with the date of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in her left arm; and, as a nice "Up yours!" to tyranny, trampling a broken chain with her sandaled feet.

Now that we've got the history lesson out of the way, it's time to have a look at this artistic and architectural feat for yourself. Whether you reside on the shores of Manhattan or you're just in town for a few touristy days, snag a ferry out of Battery Park, head on over to Liberty Island, and hike to the top of the iconic landmark (only 354 steps!). There you'll get a grand view of the New York skyline from a safe perch inside Lady Lib's crown, the perfect place to dazzle your pals with all the Statue of Liberty trivia you've gleaned from this article.

By Tom