The most famous statue in the United States is the Statue of Liberty, formally titled Liberty Enlightening the World (La Liberté éclairant le monde). Located on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, this colossal copper structure was a gift from the people of France to the United States to commemorate the centennial of the Declaration of Independence and the abolition of slavery. Designed by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi with an internal framework engineered by Gustave Eiffel, the statue was dedicated on October 28, 1886. She stands 151 feet tall (305 feet from the ground to the torch) and represents Libertas, the Roman goddess of liberty. In 2026, it remains a UNESCO World Heritage site and a universal symbol of freedom and democracy, greeting millions of visitors who travel by ferry from Battery Park in New York or Liberty State Park in New Jersey to climb to its pedestal or crown for panoramic views of the skyline.