Where Is the Statue of Liberty Located?

The Statue of Liberty is America’s inimitable beacon of hope and freedom, a statue that stands strong against the New York skyline. It was the first bit of America many immigrants saw as they were brought in crowded boats to Ellis Island, and is one of the landmarks that school children and tourists most want to visit in New York City. Although the Statue of Liberty is permanently located in the United States, it was built by the French as a gift to the United States and then shipped to where it was placed on its pedestal. Replicas of the statue, including a full-sized copper replica of the face, can be seen all over the world.

While it is obvious that the Statue of Liberty is located in the United States, the statue itself is separate from the city of New York. It is on its own island in the upper part of New York Bay, which has been known unofficially as Liberty Island for over a century and officially named Liberty Island in 1956.

What many people don’t know is that the Statue of Liberty is actually closer to New Jersey than it is to New York. Liberty Island and three acres of neighboring Ellis Island belong to New York, but both islands are bordered entirely by New Jersey waters, not New York's waters.

Liberty Island and everything on it including the Statue of Liberty is under sole ownership rights of the state of New York; however, it is located entirely within New Jersey’s borders and jurisdiction.

A Gift from France

Liberty Enlightening the World, the official name for the Statue of Liberty, was first conceived by Frederic Bartholdi when he was commissioned to build a sculpture that could commemorate the centennial of the Declaration of Independence. A terra cotta model was built of a statue that he felt embodied the sense of freedom of the United States of America. However, on a trip to the Suez Canal, Bartholdi decided to make the statue enormous.

Construction began in 1882, and two years later, it was completed. Meanwhile, America began building the pedestal on which the Statue of Liberty would stand. Once the pedestal was completed, the statue was brought to the United States and placed on top of the pedestal. The Statue of Liberty was finally shown complete to the public on October 28, 1886, on Liberty Island in Upper New York Bay.

Liberty around the World

The Statue of Liberty isn’t the only such statue in the entire world. While all other statues are smaller in scale, the United States is home to several.

• A small-scale replica was placed in Columbia, Missouri in 1950 by a group of boy scouts.
• In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, a white replica Statue of Liberty was placed in the Susquehanna River.
• Missouri and Oregon are both home to replicas.
• The New York-New York Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas hosts a half-sized Statue.

In all, there are hundreds of replicas of the Statue of Liberty throughout the United States of America.

Moreover, a replica statue stands in France, facing her sister in New York City. A life-sized replica of the torch and the face can be found in Paris. Replicas can be found in Brazil, Argentina, and other South American countries. To name only a few, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Israel, Japan, China, Vietnam, and Taiwan all have replicas of Liberty, of various sizes and made from various materials. None of the replicas are the same size as the original.

Inspirations of Liberty

In addition to the replicas, the Statue of Liberty has inspired imitations throughout the globe among those who yearn for freedom and equality. The Goddess of Democracy erected at Tiananmen Square is one of the more famous of these Liberty-inspired sculptures.

Glasgow’s Figure of Truth also bears a striking resemblance to Lady Liberty. Other, much taller statues, such as the Spring Temple Buddha, were inspired in part due to the national prominence and significance of America’s timeless sculpture.