DISCOVER The mystery inside the torch of the Statue of Liberty
USAThe Statue of Liberty in New York, a famous symbol of America, contains many mysteries. The Statue of Liberty is a neoclassical bronze sculpture, located on Liberty Island in New York Harbor. The work was designed by French architect, Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi. The metal frame was made by Gustave Eiffel and inaugurated on October 28, 1886. The statue has the shape of a woman wearing a gown, holding a torch in her right hand and a slate slab engraved with the date of American independence in the other.
From its inauguration until 1916, visitors could request access to the torch site, but had to get permission from the caretaker. Most people are turned away because the path to the highest position of the statue is quite dangerous. The only way up is a narrow staircase, 12 meters long, and if you can go up, you must be accompanied by someone.
Besides, the stairs are not wide enough for one person to climb up and one person to climb down at the same time. Only one person can climb up completely, and make room for another person to climb down. Therefore, getting on and off the torch takes time
When you go up the stairs, you will reach a small room with a path to the balcony. Here, you can stand and admire the panoramic view of the surrounding area as well as the crown of the Statue of Liberty from a height of more than 90 meters.
A problem that arises here is that the balcony has a low railing, and when standing there, visitors often "freeze" because of the height and strong wind, the torch can swing 7-14 cm. Many tourists climbing to this area were too scared and turned back inside to get down. Some people even had to ask staff for help to get them down
On July 30, 1916, during World War II, German agents blew up a dock connecting Black Tom Island and nearby Jersey City. The explosion killed and injured hundreds of people, and damaged buildings in Times Square, New York. The explosion also damaged the Statue of Liberty's torch. And the secret room inside this torch was damaged as well
More than 100 years later, according to Travel & Leisure, the room is still not open to tourists. The people allowed to access the restricted area are those on duty or the maintenance team who goes there to replace LED lights about every 6-8 months. People will enter this room through a locked hallway at the shoulder of the statue and this place is equipped with surveillance cameras to ensure that no one can break in to climb up.
Nowadays, the "secret room" at the highest place is always a famous topic, mentioned first when talking about the Statue of Liberty. One of the tourists who visited the statue said that his mother, when she was in her twenties, climbed up this torch with a girlfriend. "My mother climbed to the top in her high heels," the now retired guest recalls.
The full name of the statue is Liberty Enlightening the World. On a gloomy, foggy day in late October 1886, New Yorkers celebrated jubilantly when welcoming the Statue of Liberty officially unveiled to the public. This welcome ceremony is held magnificently, with many rituals. Amidst the speeches, French sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi pulled the rope to lower the French flag covering the face of the Statue of Liberty - the tallest statue in the city at that time (93.1 m) from the pedestal. to the top of the torch.
Six months later, a journalist visited Liberty Island and revealed that the place had very few visitors. But today, this place welcomes at least 4 million visitors every year, Bartholdi would be very happy because his work is one of the most popular attractions.
The Statue of Liberty became a symbol of hope for immigrants in the second half of the 19th century with more than 9 million people flocking to America. The statue was the first thing they saw when the boat docked. Therefore, the statue is seen perfectly and most beautifully from small boats traveling on the river. According to writer Elizabeth Mitchell, the most attractive place to admire the statue is from a small bar outside the harbor, called Honorable William Wall. You only need to spend 20 USD to buy a drink to admire this most famous scene in America.
The management board also warned tourists to be careful of scammers selling high-priced tickets at nearby Battery Park. Therefore, visitors should buy tickets in advance, and the only place to buy tickets on-site is the official ticket office located inside Castle Clinton, Battery Park.
According to the latest information from the National Park Service, all visitors must wear a mask when visiting, even if they have been fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine. Sightseeing ticket prices include ferry costs from 24.5 USD for children 4-12 years old, 47 USD per guest aged 13-62 years old and 36 USD for people 62 years old and older. Currently, the statue's crown area is temporarily closed and closed to visitors
