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The Statue of Liberty’s official name is “Liberty Enlightening the World”. In French:”La Liberté éclairant le monde”

Her raised torch represents enlightenment, while the tablet in her left arm bears the date JULY IV MDCCLXXVI — July 4, 1776 — commemorating American independence.

Standing at the entrance to New York Harbor, the Statue of Liberty is one of the world’s most recognized symbols and a lasting emblem of freedom, democracy, and hope. Gifted by France to the United States and dedicated in 1886, Lady Liberty towers 151 feet above Liberty Island, or 305 feet from ground to torch, welcoming generations of immigrants, visitors, and dreamers arriving in America.

Designed by sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi with an internal framework engineered by Gustave Eiffel, the giant copper monument carries a torch symbolizing enlightenment and a tablet inscribed with July 4, 1776, marking American independence. Yet beyond the familiar image lies a monument filled with surprising stories, strange measurements, hidden symbolism, engineering marvels, and even a few unexpected New Jersey connections.

It’s been decades since any of our trustees or friends have visited the Statue of Liberty, until we were researching a story about sailboats of the Hudson River, which gave us an excuse to visit Liberty State Park and hop on a sightseeing tour to Liberty Island. The ride was fascinating as we were probably the only locals on the trip, but wherever the people were from around the world, they were our Jersey guests on the way to see Lady Liberty.

Every age, every nationality, all going for a similar reason – to meet Lady Liberty in person.

We went to Liberty Island for the SailGP 2026 World Racing Series – but got so much more!

Strange Things About the Statue of Liberty That Most New Jerseyans Never Knew

But we got to thinking as we stared up at the iconic welcome at the gateway to America, and we were amazed at what we found. Here are 20 weird, strange, and lesser-known facts about the Statue of Liberty with a strong NJ / harbor angle mixed in:

The Statue Was Almost Built for Egypt
Before America, sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi pitched a giant robed woman holding a torch for the Suez Canal entrance in Egypt. Egypt declined. America got the sequel.
The Torch Is Not the Original Torch
The torch visitors see today is a 1986 replacement. The original leaked badly and was removed during the centennial restoration.
People Used To Climb Into the Torch
Visitors could once walk onto the torch balcony. That ended after the 1916 Black Tom explosion in New Jersey damaged the statue.
New Jersey Helped “Wound” Lady Liberty
The 1916 Black Tom explosion in Jersey City was so powerful that it damaged the Statue of Liberty. Shrapnel struck the monument, and the blast was felt as far as Philadelphia. The torch has remained closed to the public ever since.
Liberty Island Is Closer to New Jersey Than Manhattan
Geographically, the statue sits closer to NJ. Politically, the island belongs to New York. Nearby Ellis Island became part of NJ, part of NY after a Supreme Court case.
The Statue Sways in the Wind
Lady Liberty moves. In strong winds, the torch can sway about 5 inches, and the whole statue about 3 inches.
She Is Surprisingly Thin
The copper skin is only about 3/32 inch thick—roughly the thickness of 2 pennies stacked together.
She Was Once Brown, Not Green
The statue began as shiny copper. The green color is a natural patina that developed over decades.
The Face May Have Been Based on the Sculptor’s Mother
Many historians believe BartLiberty’s face resembles his mother, Charlotte.
Her Foot Is Breaking Free
Most people miss this: Liberty’s right foot is stepping forward over broken chains, symbolizing liberation from oppression.
There Are Hidden Broken Shackles
The chains and shackles are not obvious from below, which is why many visitors never realize they are there.
She Was a Lighthouse
From 1886 to 1902, the statue officially operated as a functioning lighthouse. It was not very effective.
The Statue Has an Iron Skeleton by the Eiffel Tower Guy
The internal framework was engineered by Gustave Eiffel, later famous for the Eiffel Tower.
The Crown Has 25 Windows and 7 Rays
The 7 rays symbolize the world’s 7 continents and 7 seas. The crown windows represent gemstones and heavenly rays.
The Statue Was Shipped Like a Giant IKEA Kit
It arrived from France in 350 pieces packed into more than 200 crates.
Ordinary Americans paid for the Pedestal.
Funding stalled until newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer launched a massive public campaign. Over 120,000 people donated, many giving under $1.
The Statue Was a Protest Symbol Before She Was Finished
Early suffragists protested at the unveiling in 1886, arguing it was ironic to celebrate Liberty while women lacked voting rights.
The Inside Looks Like an Industrial Tower
Inside, the statue feels less like a sculpture and more like climbing through a giant steel bridge.
The Statue Survived Lightning Strikes
Lady Liberty is struck by lightning regularly. Some dramatic strikes have been photographed.
New Jersey Probably Gives You the Best View
A controversial local history take: some of the most dramatic free views are actually from NJ spots like Liberty State Park, Empty Sky Memorial, Hoboken waterfront, and even parts of Bayonne.

When the Statue of Liberty opened in 1886, visitors could climb all the way into the torch balcony for spectacular views of New York Harbor. That changed dramatically on July 30, 1916, when the massive Black Tom explosion erupted at the Black Tom munitions depot in Jersey City, New Jersey.

The powerful blast, later linked to German wartime sabotage during World War I, shattered windows across the region, damaged nearby buildings, and sent shrapnel striking the Statue of Liberty. While the monument remained standing, concerns over structural damage and public safety led officials to permanently close access to the torch. More than a century later, visitors can still climb to Liberty’s crown, but the torch remains off limits, making it one of the Statue’s most enduring and little-known consequences of a New Jersey disaster.

Then a Few More Facts Came to Light

Many ask if they can climb all the way to the torch at the top of Lady Liberty. Here’s what happened. We really wanted to know how much walking is involved when you go to visit the Statue of Liberty.

Destination	Steps	Notes
Ground to Pedestal	215	Pedestal museum and observation level
Pedestal to Crown	162	Narrow double helix spiral staircase inside statue
Ground to Crown Total	354	Complete climb from base to crown
Ground to Torch	No public access	Closed to visitors since 1916 Black Tom explosion
Ground to Crown Windows	354	25 viewing windows inside Liberty’s crown
Ground to Crown Rays	354	7 exterior rays representing continents and seas
Approximate Building Equivalent	354	Roughly equivalent to climbing a 20 to 27 story building
Crown Climb Time	N/A	Most visitors take about 15 to 30 minutes
Staircase Style	N/A	Tight winding staircase, more like a ship or submarine interior

Then we Started Thinking about Lady Liberty as a Person

Then, as we stared at her face, we came up with more thoughts:

Strange Fact	Value / Estimate
Shoe Size	Estimated women’s size 879 to 900+ (playful scaled estimate, not official)
Dress Size	Estimated modern dress size 350 to 450+ (playful scaled estimate, not official)
Weight (we know you’re not supposed to ask)	Approximately 450,000 pounds / 225 tons (official figure)
Hat Size	Estimated hat size 130+ (playful estimate based on head circumference, not official)
Ring Size	Estimated 9000+ to 12000+ (playful scaled estimate, not official)
Waistline	35 feet around (commonly published official measurement)
Head Circumference	About 34 feet around (commonly cited measurement)
Finger Circumference	Estimated 6 to 8 feet around (scaled estimate, not official)
Foot Length	About 25 feet long (commonly published measurement)
Face Length	8 feet tall (official measurement)
Nose Length	4 feet 6 inches (official measurement)
Mouth Width	3 feet wide (official measurement)
Eye Width	About 2 feet 6 inches each (official measurement)
Head Height	17 feet 3 inches (official measurement)
Index Finger Length	8 feet long (official measurement)
Hand Length	16 feet 5 inches (official measurement)
Right Arm Length	42 feet long (official measurement)
Crown Rays	7 rays about 9 feet long each (commonly published figure)
Crown Windows	25 windows (official count)
Copper Weight	About 62,000 pounds of copper (official figure)
Copper Thickness	3/32 inch thick, about 2 stacked pennies (official measurement)
Wind Sway	Statue sways about 3 inches, torch about 5 inches (commonly published engineering fact)
Original Color	Originally copper brown, later turned green (correct historical fact)

Share A Memory

Let us know the last time you saw the Statue of Liberty. And if it’s been more than 20 years, do it for America 250. Bring the family. It remains one of the most awe-inspiring icons of America. Comments section at the bottom of the page.