But what is it doing there? And where did it come from?

它的意義是甚麼？它又是從何而來？

Officially called 'Liberty Enlightening the World,' the Statue of Liberty was

原官方名為「自由照耀世界」，自由女神像是西元1886年

a gift to America from the French in 1886 as a representation of international friendship,

法國為國際友誼，給予美國的贈禮

but its story really began more than 20 years earlier in 1865 when French man Edouard de Laboulaye proposed

不過，真正的故事起始於更早二十年前的西元1865年，當時一位法國人 Edouard de Laboulaye提出

that France should create a monument for the United States. It would be a long time before

法國應當給予美國一份紀念碑的請求。Laboulaye的夢想

Laboulaye's dream was realized: it wasn't until ten years later that

很久過後才實現。十年之後

the sculptor Auguste Bartholdi was commissioned to design the statue.

雕刻家Auguste Bartholdi被委任設計雕像一職

The American people agreed to pay for the pedestal for the statue to stand on

當時，美國人同意為雕像基座的建造自掏腰包

While, the French people would fund the Statue of Liberty itself, but raising enough money was difficult.

不過，當時法國人打算自己籌募雕像基座的費用。不過此事可不容易

The statue was completed in France in 1884, almost ten years after it was commissioned,

此座雕像於1884年法國峻工，幾乎花了十年之久

but the pedestal wasn't finished for another two years, in April of 1886.

不過，於兩年後的西元1886年四月，基座仍尚未竣工

The statue was transported in 350 individual pieces which were packed in 214 separate crates.

雕像後來拆成350個部分，以214個板條箱個別運送

Once the pedestal was completed, it took four months to reassemble the statue.

一旦基座完工，雕像要花近四個月的時間組裝

Finally, on October 28, 1886, President Grover Cleveland dedicated the Statue of Liberty, an event

終於在西元1886年的十月二十八日，美國總統Grover Cleveland為自由女神像的建成

celebrated by bands, parades, speeches, and fireworks.

以樂隊、遊行、演講與煙火慶祝

The Statue of Liberty quickly became a famous landmark. For many immigrants who came to

自由女神很快地成為著名的地標。經由紐約入境美國的移民者

the United States through New York, it was their first sight of their new country.

他們第一眼看到的就是自由女神像

For others, it symbolized the idea of freedom that America was built on.

另一方面，這象徵美國的自由

The statue depicts a woman in a robe, representing Libertas, the Roman goddess of liberty.

這座雕像穿著長袍，代表的是羅馬的自由女神「莉柏塔斯」

She has a crown on her head with seven points, said to represent the seven seas or

頭頂著七個尖道的頭冠，代表著地球的七大洋抑或

the seven continents of the Earth. She is holding a stone tablet in one hand

七大洲。她一手擁著一本石書

which reads July 4, 1776 in roman numerals, honoring the date of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

標題以羅馬數字寫著「1776年7月4日」，紀念獨立宣言的簽署

In her other hand, she holds high a flaming torch covered in gold leaf.

另一隻手，她高舉著鑲著金葉的火炬

The Statue of Liberty itself is covered in a layer of copper less than 2 pennies thick.

自由女神像外表覆著一層銅，比兩個一分錢的厚度還薄

Originally, the statue was the same bright copper color as a new penny,

原先，雕像和新鑄的分錢硬幣一樣閃亮

but after less than 20 years of standing out in the sun and the rain, the copper began to oxidize,

不過，近20年的日曬雨淋，銅金屬便開始氧化

turning her the green color we recognize today.

變成今日我們所看到的綠色

The statue weighs 450,000 lbs or 225 tons, and stands over 151 feet or 46 meters high,

此雕像有45萬磅(225頓)重，有151英尺(46公尺)高

not including the pedestal she stands on. With the pedestal, from the ground

不包括底座的高度。加上底座，由地面至火炬頂端的高度

to the tip of the torch, the Statue of Liberty stands as tall as a 22 story building!

此雕像足足有22層樓高

About 4 million people visit the Statue of Liberty every year. Those who go inside it

每年約有4百萬人造訪自由女神像。雕像裡邊

can see a poem by Emma Lazarus, written to help raise money for the construction

可以看到一本Emma Lazarus，為了建造基座募資金

of the pedestal. It reads, in part:

而寫的詩。詩的一部分寫著:

"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

「將你的勞頓、貧窮困頓加諸於我，摩肩擦踵之際，挣著自由的空氣

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me

蜂擁靠岸的回絕。流浪與動亂交付予我

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

金門一旁有我的明燈。」

Now nearly 130 years old, the Statue of Liberty has long been a symbol of hope and welcome

近130年的歷史，自由女神像一直以來象徵著希望

to people seeking freedom and a new life in America, as well as a symbol of the friendship

對著來美尋求自由與新生活的人道歡迎，也象徵著

between France and the United States. It is now also a World Heritage Site, which means

美法之間的友誼。如今也是世界文化遺產之一

that it is considered so special and important that it should be protected and preserved

也訴說著它的獨特性與重要性，保護與維護的需要

for people all around the world to enjoy.

讓世界各地的人前來瞻仰

I hope you enjoyed learning about the Statue of Liberty today. Goodbye till next time!

希望你對自由女神像有更深入的了解，我們下次見！