By Suzi Blakley Fri, July 3, 2009, 12:01 am PDT

"I can see my house from here!" (Photo by Ludovic Bertron) On July 4th, just in time to celebrate the Independence Day weekend, the Statue of Liberty will be re-opening her arms to tourists seeking to ascend the 354 narrow steps (154 from pedestal to crown) to view the New York Harbor area from the top of her head. After nearly eight years of security-related closure (due to the events of September 11th, 2001), Lady Liberty will once again welcome visitors to the upper elevations of her copper-clad physique. Ever since her dedication in 1886, the monument standing guard over the New York City area has symbolized democracy and friendship, and she remains a quintessential American icon. As a gift from France to commemorate the centennial of the American Revolution in 1876, she arrived a fashionable decade late, but it's the thought that counts, right? Her creators, sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi and structural engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel (yes, that Eiffel), wanted to ensure her artistic and ever-lasting perfection, befitting what was to become a National Monument and a United Nations World Heritage Site. To return the favor to the French, Americans living in France dedicated a smaller replica of the statue in 1889. It resides in Paris on Île des Cygnes. While this holiday weekend may be one of the more exciting times to (re)visit the Statue of Liberty, the crown tour plan appears to be permanent. The tours will be ranger-led and allow only 10 people every 20 minutes. It is highly recommended that you visit the National Park Service web site to make your reservations for Liberty Island and Crown tour tickets, as this new-again opportunity to experience a global icon of freedom is expected to be quite popular. After all, not many can pass up the patriotic photo op. Have a happy and safe Fourth of July weekend! Suggested Sites... YouTube: Exclusive Tour of Lady Liberty - join Rep. Anthony Weiner in a trip up the spiral steps to the crown observation deck. The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc. - fun facts about the Statue of Liberty. Free Printable Coloring Pages - color in your very own Statue of Liberty. Wikipedia: Emma Lazarus - biography of the woman whose sonnet is engraved in the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. "The New Colossus" - the poem itself.

Directory categories: Statue of Liberty, National Park Service, National Monuments, Fourth of July, U.S. Declaration of Independence

Archived under: 19th Century, 4th of July, 9/11, American History, Architecture, France, Holidays, Immigration, Museums, New York, Parks, Recreation and Travel, Tourist Attractions, Travel, United States

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