They say that the Statue of Liberty also exists in Paris … Is this possible, because one of the most famous sculptures not only overseas, but also on the planet - New York Liberty, illuminating the world? It was presented to the States by French citizens for the centenary of the revolution, and, moreover, the "new colossus" was cast exclusively with collected donations.
Sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi and engineer Gustave Eiffel developed a unique project that allowed the 34-meter statue to stand confidently on a 47-meter pedestal. The famous socialite Isabella Boyer, whose husband was Singer, famous for his sewing machine industry, posed for the sculptor.
Tour across the ocean
However, what has Paris to do with it, because in 1885 the Statue of Liberty arrived in New York harbor on a French frigate and was assembled on Bedlow Island in four months? It has become a symbol of change, and the entire history of the creation of the "new colossus" and its existence is carefully preserved by the Americans and passed on by them from generation to generation.
From our table …
The story goes that four years after the frigate "Ysere" with Freedom illuminating the world docked in the port of New York, the American diaspora of the French decided to make a return gift to their hometown. An exact replica of the Statue of Liberty in Paris differs from its older American sister only in size. Installed at the eastern end of the Swan Island on the Seine, the Parisian lady with the torch is only 11.5 meters tall. She looks west, in the direction where her older sister lights the way for everyone who dares to make the American dream come true. The dates of both the French and American revolutions are engraved on a plaque on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty in Paris.
By rank
Travelers may be surprised, but the Statue of Liberty in Paris on Swan Island is not the only lady with a torch on French soil:
- The two-meter symbol of new life is installed in the Luxembourg Gardens of the capital. The statue, despite its small size, is exactly the same as the huge American original.
- Another copy is kept in the Museum of Arts and Crafts in Paris, where it demonstrates to visitors the high level of engineering and architectural achievements of the late 19th century.
- Finally, the fourth Statue of Liberty in Paris adorns the bow of a barge moored on a dock near the most famous creation of the engineer Gustave Eiffel.
The beautiful coastal town of Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer in Provence has its own Freedom. Its height is about six meters, and the torch also serves as a lantern and is lit in the evenings.
