Statue of Liberty to close for a year
The Statue of Liberty is to close to visitors for a year, US officials have announced.
The iconic statue will be closed from October 29, a statement from the US Department of the Interior said August 10, so that crucial improvements to access and visitor safety can be made.
The Statue's final day will be October 28, the 125th anniversary of its dedication, the statement said.
Because of safety concerns, visits to the tower are currently conducted in groups of ten, meaning that only 240 visitors can climb to the crown of the monument each day, a number which is expected to be boosted by the construction work taking place.
"Two years ago, when we reopened Lady Liberty’s crown to visitors for the first time since the September 11 attacks, I promised that we would continue to upgrade the interior to make it safer and more accessible for all," United States Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said.
"With today’s announcement, we are taking a major step in bringing a 19th century icon into the 21st century."
Officials stressed that Liberty Island, which 3.5 million people visit each year, will remain open for the duration of the work and views of "Lady Liberty" will remain largely unobstructed throughout the period.
The Statue of Liberty is one of New York's most recognizable landmarks, immediately visible when arriving in New York by boat (and in some cases by plane) and seen by million of visitors.
It's spawned imitations around the globe, nowhere more so than in Paris, the capital of the country from which Lady Liberty was a gift in the first place.
Stroll through Paris's Jardin du Luxembourg, for instance, and you'll see the small-scale model used by Frédéric Bartholdi as part of his work for the larger New York finished product -- there is also one on the Pont de Grenelle and another in the Musée des Arts et Métiers.
