Lady Liberty is one of the most recognisable monuments in the world. Since her 19th-century unveiling, she's graced cinema screens, been at the centre of national celebrations and drawn visitors from the all over the globe. But do you know her story? Here we tell the tale of the iconic Statue of Liberty, from her conception to her modern-day might. 

The monument was originally the brainchild of Édouard de Laboulaye (pictured), who has become known as 'the Father of the Statue of Liberty'. Laboulaye was a fierce abolitionist and supporter of President Abraham Lincoln; following the Civil War, he suggested that France gift the USA a monument, which would stand to represent the values of liberty and democracy – ideals he believed had been affirmed by the Union army’s triumph in the conflict.

The sculptor enlisted to design the statue was Auguste Bartholdi, a creator from France’s Alsace region. At the time, Bartholdi was still an emerging artist but, trusted by Laboulaye and enthusiastic about his vision, he dived headfirst into the project. He set up meetings with American dignitaries, who ultimately gave the young sculptor a lukewarm response to the idea.

This photograph shows an early sketch of Bartholdi’s design, which would be named ‘Liberty Enlightening the World’. Richly symbolic elements included the broken shackles at Lady Liberty’s feet and her crown, whose protruding spikes were intended to represent sun rays. The tablet she holds bears, in Roman numerals, the date 4 July 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was issued.

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Though the vision of the pair was strong, Laboulaye and Bartholdi initially lacked funds and wider support. They implemented various fundraising strategies, from lotteries to art and theatre events to public donations. Editor and politician Joseph Pulitzer (pictured) was an early advocate for the statue – he urged the public to donate funds in the pages of his influential newspaper, New York World, triggering some $100,000 in contributions. 

The French had been in charge of raising funds for the statue itself, while America was tasked with gaining capital for the statue's pedestal. During this time, in 1871, Bartholdi also travelled to the United States to scope out a location for the planned statue. He set his heart on New York City’s Bedloe's Island, a diminutive isle with a prime location – any vessel entering the bustling New York Harbor would immediately catch sight of the island and its future statue. This 1930s photo shows an aerial view of the harbour. 

Finally, enough funds were raised and work began on what would become an American icon in 1876. Bartholdi directed a team of world-class French craftspeople and sought counsel on the landmark’s structure from lauded French engineer Gustave Eiffel, who would go on to build the Eiffel Tower. Eiffel designed a mammoth iron framework, which would form a rock-solid skeleton for Lady Liberty.

As building got underway, interest in the monument piqued. This photo shows Bartholdi explaining the structure of Lady Liberty’s giant hand, under construction, to a curious visitor. Upon completion, the hand would be a giant 16 feet (5m), while the length of her right arm would be just under 43 feet (13m).

Gradually, key elements of the future statue began to come together. Most striking of all was Lady Liberty’s enormous head, which was constructed and displayed at the Paris International Exposition (or Exposition Universelle) of 1878. It’s pictured here on the city’s sprawling Champ de Mars, with visitors drinking in the spectacle from a park bench. 

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Meanwhile, Lady Liberty’s torch-wielding hand was displayed at the Philadelphia International Exposition of 1876, two years earlier. The torch itself is more than 16 feet (5m) tall and some 12 feet (4m) in width. And at any time, the mammoth beacon can sway up to 6 inches (15cm) in the wind.

By 1883, the key elements of the statue were coming together. Here the statue’s head is back at Bartholdi’s Parisian warehouse, ultimately waiting for shipment to the United States. By 1884, the entire statue was completed in Paris.

In 1884, across the pond, work began on the Statue of Liberty’s mighty granite pedestal on Bedloe’s Island. From the ground to the pedestal, the height is a whopping 154 feet (47m). This photo from the period shows a large team hard at work on the monument’s construction.

Finally, it was time to ship the colossal statue from Paris to the United States. Packaging the monument was a mammoth task: the assembled statue was taken down into 350 pieces and then loaded into 214 individual crates.

This illustration shows the part of the mammoth process of shipping Lady Liberty across the seas. The hundreds of crates containing her head and body were transported into New York Harbor on the French steamer Isère, before being transferred to lighter barges and taken to Bedloe's Island.

However, though Lady Liberty's arrival in the Big Apple was hotly anticipated, the city wasn't altogether ready for her when she pulled in in June 1885. Unfortunately, despite workers' hard labour, the pedestal was yet to be fully completed. Construction would finally be finished in 1886, so assembly of the statue could begin (pictured). 

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The very first thing to be done was erect Lady Liberty's gargantuan iron framework. Then a hard-working labour force (pictured), composed mostly of new immigrants, hauled the rest of her body parts into place using steam-driven cranes.

Fast-forward to 28 October 1886 and the statue is finally completed and unveiled to much aplomb. Excited crowds gathered to celebrate the monument's dedication, which passed with gun salutes, patriotic music and waving flags. In the most symbolic moment of all, a French flag, which had been draped over the statue's face, was removed (though this was done slightly prematurely by an eager Bartholdi).

Did you know that Lady Liberty technically began life as a lighthouse? Given the light in her torch, she was designated as a lighthouse by then-president Grover Cleveland and placed under the care of the US Lighthouse Board. However this was not her intended function and she made for a lacklustre beacon.

Over time, the mighty statue become a symbol of immigration. Millions of immigrants poured into the United States in the late 1800s and for those coming into New York City, the mammoth monument would be their first welcome. It's estimated that some 14 million immigrants entered American between 1886 and 1924, and from 1892 they were processed on Ellis Island, in the wake of the great statue.

The statue came under the control of the US Department of War at the turn of the century, before ultimately being transferred to the stewardship of the National Park Service in 1937. The NPS designation meant there was a renewed interest in making the island enticing to visitors and landscape architect Norman T. Newton was tasked with creating a vision.

Newton's plans included the demolition of old army buildings on the island and the construction of a medley of winding boulevards and wide-open lawns, all intended to attract more tourists. Here, the monument is pictured from above, offering a fabulous view of her crown, whose seven spikes signify the seven oceans and seven continents.

Attention was diverted away from the statue and to the war effort during the Second World War, from 1939 to 1945, meaning Newton's master plan was paused. However, once the conflict was over, America's sights were set on improving the monument once more and some $110,000 (£87,663) was injected into these projects. This photograph shows Armistice Day celebrations on Manhattan's Broad Street, next to an impressive replica of the Statue of Liberty.

By the 1980s, the Statue of Liberty was gearing up for her centennial year and then-president Ronald Reagan ensured there were funds enough to make the monument sparkle for her big birthday. Extensive restoration work got underway, including repairing holes and replacing rusting parts – she's pictured here in scaffolding while the renovations are ongoing.

One more major change during the statue's renovations was the replacement of Bartholdi's original torch. This element of the statue had changed immensely over the years and, during the restorations, it was decided that the original torch could not be saved. A replica that closely matched Bartholdi's initial design was erected and you can now see the original, giant torch at the Statue of Liberty Museum's Inspiration Gallery (pictured).

Given her celebrity status, it's not surprising that Lady Liberty has now made a cameo in many a movie on the silver screen. You'll catch notable glimpses of her in blockbuster films including Planet of the Apes, where her remnants are seen protruding from a beach in the final scenes, and apocalyptic The Day After Tomorrow, for which her ice-covered arm and crown made the dramatic DVD cover. 

Today more than 3 million visitors typically visit the Statue of Liberty each year, taking time to drink in displays at the Statue of Liberty Museum and enjoy the view from the pedestal observation deck. The monument is still deeply rooted in popular culture and current affairs too, setting the stage for everything from Fourth of July drone shows to political protests. 

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