The Statue of Liberty National Monument is a national monument of the United States, it includes the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island and the Immigration Station on Ellis Island. Both islands are in Upper New York Bay.
background
There are different protection zones or monuments in the USA. On the one hand, there are those National parks, they were established by Congress. The mostly smaller ones National Monuments created by the order of the President. Other nationally significant monuments are the so-called National Memorials. Often the protected areas are administered by the National Park Service.
history
statue of Liberty
The idea to erect the statue originated in France in 1865. It should represent both freedom and independence. It was designed by the in Colmar born sculptor Bartholdi. The statue represents the Roman goddess Libertas, so it is usually called Miss Liberty designated. It is said that the appearance of the statue has a certain resemblance to the sculptor's mother. In 1871 Bartholdi determined the location for the statue, and his choice fell on the small island Bedloe's Island in Upper New York Bay. All ships calling at New York Harbor must pass through this island. 1881-1884 the statue was assembled in France, the static parts are from Gustave Eiffel. At the same time the foundations were inside the former Fort Wood (built 1806-1811) on Bedloe's Island. In 1885 Miss Liberty was dismantled and shipped to New York. In 1886 it was reassembled on its pedestal and the inauguration took place on October 28th.
In 1924 it was Liberty Enlightening the World from president Calvin Coolidge declared a national monument. Bedloe's Island got a larger area by backfilling, and in 1956 the island was renamed to Liberty Island. In 1984 the statue of Liberty Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, and on her 100th birthday, Miss Liberty has been given a thorough overhaul. Access to Liberty Island was temporarily blocked after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. From August 3, 2004, the podium could be stepped on again, and from July 4, 2009 it was also possible to climb the figure inside up to the crown. The installation of new stairs and Hurricane Sandy prevented visitors from entering the interior of the statue in 2011 and 2012.
Ellis Island
In 1774, Samuel Ellis bought the islet Oyster Island, also located in Upper New York Bay. The state acquired it in 1808 and then left that Fort Gibson erect. In 1892, immigration was relocated from Castle Clinton to Ellis Island. A new building was erected after a fire in 1897. From 1901-1910 6 million immigrants passed through its gates. During the First World War, members of the war opponents were interned on Ellis Island, as well as in the Second World War. In 1954 the immigration station was closed. In 1965 Ellis Island was declared a National Monumet. The main building has served as an immigration museum since 1990.
Arrival and fees
The two small islands can only be reached by ship. A jetty leads to Ellis Island, but it is not open to the public.
- In new York the ferry terminal is on 1 Battery Park Castle Clinton Battery Park City.
- In New Jersey is the investor at 2 Liberty State Park Liberty State Park.
The ferries run every half hour between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and are quite crowded on some days. It is therefore advisable to purchase the tickets in advance. A security check is also carried out on arrival, just like in an airport.
There is no entrance fee for the two islands. However, there are fees for the ferry tickets and these depend on the tour booked. Maps and more information are available atStatue of Liberty Tours. There are the following tours:
- Reserve ticket: Access to Liberty Island and the Immigration Museum on Ellis Island. Adult ticket $ 25.
- Reserve with Pedestal Access Ticket: additional access to the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty, ascent to the beginning of the bronze figure. Same price as reserve ticket.
- Reserve with Crown Ticket: additional permission to climb up to the crown in the head of the statue. Not for people with claustrophobia. Ticket $ 28.
- Hard Hat Tour of Ellis Island: Guided tour of Ellis Island including the otherwise inaccessible hospital buildings, ticket 50 $
mobility
- 3 Ferry dock on Liberty Island
- 4 Ferry dock on Ellis Island
Both islands are almost completely flat, the paths are mostly paved and manageable even for handicapped visitors. The entrances to all buildings are wheelchair accessible. On the ferries, the staff will help with boarding and disembarking.
Tourist Attractions
Liberty Island
Access for all visitors
A paved path leads to the from the ferry dock 1 Flagpole. The information center is on the left side of the path. The cafe and souvenir shop on the right-hand side are more popular, and there is also a toilet here. At a kiosk you can get an audio guide, which can be set to the common languages. At the flagpole there is a wide path to the right, a flat building contains countless souvenirs, not all of which correspond to European tastes. In the building is the statue's torch in its original size, you can see that the torch was originally open to visitors. The entrance on the right is a security check for visitors with Pedestrial Access or Crown Access.
The main attraction is the 2 Statue of Liberty. It measures 93 m from the floor to the top of the torch, the copper statue alone is 46 m high and consists of 2.4 mm thick copper plates. Until 1959 it was the tallest statue in the world. More details in Wikipedia article.
A path leads from the flagpole to the water, from where you have a wonderful view of Ellis Island as well as New Jersey and the Financial district. There is also a promenade that runs along the bank to the front of the statue.
With pedestrial access
Who on the ticket the note Pedestrial Access is allowed to climb the pedestal of the statue up to the upper pedestal. Before doing this, you should deposit any excess ballast in one of the lockers in the access area of the foundation, if only because of the not-too-wide stairs. Then you go through the security check and get into the rooms in the foundation of the statue.
- Pedestal: The statue erected on a foundation that was within the star-shaped structure of the former Fort Wood stands. Inside, stairs lead to showrooms with models and pictures of the statue and on to the upper platform. There are a total of 215 steps. There is also an elevator to the upper landing platform. You just have to find it.
- Upper platform: those who have made it here by elevator or on the stairs end up on a relatively narrow corridor around the statue and can enjoy an overwhelming panoramic view of New York.
With Crown Access
First of all, it should be noted that tickets are marked Crown Access just on-line or by phone (1- (201) 604-2800). The demand for these tickets is greater than the space in the statue. Visitors who have this notation on the ticket must go through the same security checks as those with Pedestrial Access. And it's best not to take anything with you except your camera. (Lockers !!!) Then it goes halfway up to the upper platform of the base, preferably with the elevator. This is followed by a narrow spiral staircase through the inside of the statue up to the head of the statue. Anyone who has climbed everything has then climbed 354 steps and stands on a small platform below the seven-pointed crown. You can then enjoy the view through one of the 25 windows below the rays.
Importance of the Statue of Liberty
The statue was originally intended to be a gift from France to the United States and was to be erected on the 100th anniversary of its independence. Therefore, the statue carries a plaque in its left hand with the date July 4th 1776, the date of the American Declaration of Independence. The statue symbolizes freedom and independence, the torch in the right hand is supposed to illuminate the world and the seven rays of the crown represent the seven seas and the 7 continents (including Antarctica). The poem The New Colossus summarizes the meaning in the poetic words Give me your tired, your poor, your enslaved masses who long to breathe freely, and the crowds came. The United States, and New York in particular, saw mass immigration in the years that followed, and at the entrance to the harbor, the newcomers saw the statue that promised them freedom.
Ellis Island
Immigration authority
It is estimated that there were around 5,000 immigrants annually in the United States in the first years after independence. This number rose by leaps and bounds, and the record was April 17, 1907, with 11,747 new arrivals. A first New York immigration office was located in Fort Clinton on the southern tip of Manhattan. It opened in 1855 and was in operation until 1892.
After that this authority was after Ellis Island relocated, where it was in operation until 1954. Fort Gibson was initially located on the small island in the port entrance of New York, later the buildings were used as a prison and as an ammunition store. The island had the advantage that it was easy to monitor. And it had one disadvantage: it was too small. Therefore, land was raised, and 11.1 hectares were added to the original 1.3 hectares. Accommodation for the newcomers was built on this new site.
Immigration Museum
The former 3 The main building of the immigration office was once used to register newcomers and has been a museum since 1990. It is only a few meters from the ferry dock and is currently the only building that is open to all visitors to the island.
- First floor: accessible via an outside staircase or a wheelchair-accessible ramp. In the center the Baggage hall with information booth, bookstore and audio guides. Left side: History center with the data of numerous immigrants, also available at Liberty Ellis Foundation. Right: an auditorium, a café and a souvenir shop. Exit to a wall on which over 700,000 names of immigrants were recorded.
- Newcomers had to leave their luggage in the hall, after which they went to the second floor to register.
- Second floor: accessible via 30 steps. There are also two elevators. At the center of the Registry Roomby interviewing the newcomers. Within a few minutes the decision was made: if it was positive, then to the left side to the America's Gate. In cases of doubt, there was also a room on the right for further hearings. On the right-hand side is an exhibition about the years of the strongest immigration and its consequences for the US economy, for the world of work and the resulting social problems. You can get the impression that everything has been there before.
- Third floor: originally administration rooms. The middle wing is open at the bottom and offers a view of the registry room. On one side, a bedroom shows how the immigrants were housed. On the right side you can find, among other things, models for the development of Ellis Island. On the left is a room dedicated to the former actor Bob Hope dedicated, who immigrated from England with his family in 1908 as a child.
More buildings
Most of the buildings were used to accommodate the immigrants, there was also a hospital, isolation wards and disinfection rooms, and a morgue was also available. After all, numerous immigrants came from Europe by ship, and they were often on the move for weeks. Many of them brought infectious diseases or even vermin with them and involuntarily distributed them to their fellow travelers. The authorities immediately sent back people who were obviously ill or permanently unable to work. This did not happen without human tragedies, especially when people from one family were separated by the immigration process. Hence expressions came from Island of Tears or Heartbreak Island. You can get an impression of these buildings at the Hard Hat Tour of Ellis Island procure.
activities
On Ellis Island, an approximately 25-minute film about the immigrants and the immigration process will be shown in English in one of the theater rooms. The film dates from around 1920 and mainly relates to the Eastern European immigrants who were predominant at the time.
shop
There are souvenir shops on both Liberty Island and the museum on Ellis Island. While the articles on the Statue of Liberty are often a bit flashy, they are a bit quieter on Ellis Island.
kitchen
- There is a larger restaurant on Liberty Island with mostly fast food.
- There is a café in the Immigration Museum.
Web links
- National Park Service
- UNESCO world heritage
- Education about Immigration - Further information
- Education about Immigration - film approx. 30 min
