Stock Photo - The Statue of Liberty, NY, NY. Located on 12-acre Liberty Island in New York Harbor, the Statue of Liberty was a gift of international friendship from the people of France to the people of the United States and is one of the most universal symbols of political freedom and democracy. The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886 and was designated a National Monument on October 15, 1924. The Statue was extensively restored in time for her spectacular centennial on July 4, 1986. Lady Liberty holds a torch in her right hand and a tablet in her left. The tablet shows the inscription JULY IV MDCCLXXVI July 4, 1776, the date of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. One of her feet stands on chains, symbolizing the acquired freedom. The seven spikes in the crown represent the seven seas or seven continents. The height from ground to the top of the torch is 305 feet (93 m); this includes the foundation and the pedestal. The height of the statue itself, from the top of the base to the torch, is 151 feet (46 m). The statue weighs 204 tons and the pedestal weighs 24,500 tons. The statue was built from thin copper plates hammered into wooden forms through a process known as repoussé. The formed plates were then mounted onto a steel skeleton.