Statue of Liberty will be closed for renovations

The Statue of Liberty, aka Lady Liberty, is one of the most iconic symbols of the United States of America. She’s kept a watchful eye over New York City for 125 years and has earned her upcoming renovations, which will see her closed to visitors for close to a year.
On 28 October this year, Lady Liberty will officially celebrate her 125th birthday, or, more accurately, the 125th anniversary of her dedication to America citizens. On 29 October, she will be closed so that her innards can be repaired and updated.

When announcing the planned renovations, US Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazaar said, “I promised that we would continue to upgrade the interior to make it safer and more accessible for all … we are taking a major step in bringing a 19th Century icon into the 21st Century.” The renovations are expected to cost around $27.25 million and will include work on the spiral staircase leading to the lady’s crown, lifts, bathrooms and toilet facilities, as well as fire safety devices.
Liberty Island will remain open to tourists. Quick Lady of Liberty facts:

• The Statue of Liberty’s official name is “Liberty Enlightening the World”.
• She was a gift from the French to symbolise the friendship between the two nations. • She was designed by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, who is rumoured to have used his mother as a model.
• Her structural engineer was Gustave Eiffel, of the famous Parisian tower.
• It was only declared a national monument on 15 October 1924, nearly 40 years after its official dedication. • She’s 33.86m tall.
• The height of the statue from the base to the tip of the torch is 46.5m.
• There are seven spikes in her crown, which, depending on the source, either represent the seven continents or the seven seas.
• Her shoe size is 879 (US).
• Approximately 4000 square yards (3344.5 square metres) of “fabric” went into her dress.