What is the actual colour of the Statue of Liberty? 

The Statue of Liberty is one of the most visited places in the USA. Everybody wants to see this magnificent monument at least once in their lifetime. A symbol of freedom, it was formerly called 'Liberty Enlightening the World'. Today, people often marvel at the beguiling green colour of the Statue of Liberty. But was it always green? Read on to know more. 

Statue of Liberty and the colour green 
The metal used for the construction of this statue is copper. But copper is not green! So, was the statue painted green? Recently, American actress Blake Lively made head turns when she walked down the carpet of Met Gala wearing a green dress with copper-like patterns. Copper and green again? What’s the connect?  

All these questions can be answered with just one word, oxidation. No, we won't be giving you chemistry lessons here, but hear us out! Thanks to this chemical process, The Statue of Liberty got its current shade of green. Well, it took 30 years from the time of construction, 1865, for this transformation to happen. When copper is exposed to atmospheric oxygen for a prolonged time, it is oxidised. The shade you see on Lady Liberty today, has resulted from the same chemical reaction, oxidation. So, the next time you visit this monumental statue, you know that behind that green, there's copper hidden. 

A birthday present for the USA  
The year was 1894, the day of America’s independence, when France gave United states a birthday present. You guessed right! It was the Statue of liberty. This gift was a sign of friendship, between the two countries, a gift as tall as a 15-story building representing the United States of America! But was it built in the USA? If not, then how was it transported from France to America? To answer your question, the statue was built in France, taken apart and shipped to the US in large crates.  So, the statute that you see today had to cross an ocean (Atlantic Ocean) to reach to its home state. That’s quite a journey!    

Fact file 

• The name of the statue, Liberty, has been derived from a deity, Libertas, a Greek goddess who personifies freedom.  
• The statue's crown bears seven spikes, signifying the seven continents and oceans of the world.  
• The statue is struck by lightning 600 times yearly but somehow withstands it.  
• It was built by the same man, Edouard de Laboulaye, who made the Eiffel tower.  
• The face of the statue is modelled after the face of the mother of the sculptor Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi, who designed it.  
• At the time when it was built, the statue was the tallest structure in the US.   
•  The statue is known to sway 3 inches in the wind. Amazed? There is more. The torch in the hands of the statue sways 5 inches. 

There are many such monuments and statues across the world that will surely spark your imagination. The world of art and history is undoubtedly a wonderful place to get lost in!