29、In the water around New York city is a very small island called Liberty Island. On Liberty Island there is a very special statue called the Statue of Liberty. It is one of the most famous sightsin the world.
The Statue of Liberty was a gift from the people of France to the people of the United States. The statue was made by a French sculptor named Frederic Auguste Bartholdi. The inner support system was designed by Gustave Eiffel, the same man who made the famous Eiffel Tower in Paris.
Liberty, of course, means freedom, and the Statue of Liberty was given to the United States to celebrate the one-hundredth anniversary of U.S independence from England. The statue was built in France, taken apart piece by piece, and then rebuilt in the United States. It was opened for the public on October 28, 1886.
As you might expect, the statue is very big. Visitors can ride an elevator from the ground to the bottom of the statue. If they want, they can then walk up 168 steps to reach the head of the statue where they can look out and enjoy the beautiful sight of the city of New York.