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Crown of Statue of Liberty reopen to visitors
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The Statue of Liberty stands under the sky in New York Harbor on July 4, 2009. The crown of the Statue of Liberty was re-opened to the public on July 4, the Independence Day of the U.S., after being off limits since the September 11, 2001 attacks. (Xinhua/Liu Xin)
Starting from July 4, visitors to the Statue of Liberty in New York were once again allowed to visit her crown.
This New York Harbor monument was closed after the terrorist assaults on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001 for safety and security reasons, the Interior Department said.
Visitors can now enter the statue's crown and watch the stunning view of lower Manhattan and New York Harbor, through 25 windows within the crown, for the first time since the terrorist attacks nearly eight years ago.
A girl imitates Miss Liberty in front of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor on July 4, 2009. (Xinhua/Liu Xin)
The first visitors to the crown won a ticket through a newly-created lottery, which was created after officials expressed safety concerns about the narrow staircase used to climb to the top.
Several government officials, including U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Congressman Anthony Weiner, pushed to make the crown accessible, according to New York local TV channel NY1.
"I was so thrilled that this part (crown) is reopened to the public, who is now much troubled by the financial crisis and needs something exciting like this," said visitor Mike Andrews from Washington D.C.
New York State Governor David Paterson, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg were present at a ribbon cutting ceremony that drew many other dignitaries including New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine.
A US national flag flutters before the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor on July 4, 2009. (Xinhua/Liu Xin)
"Today's reopening of the crown is yet another wonderful gift to all the visitors who have not been fully able to experience the statue," said Bloomberg.
Only 30 people an hour were allowed into the crown. They were brought up in groups of 10, guided by park rangers along the way, and said afterwards that the experience was crowded but exciting.
According to U.S. National Parks Service officials, tickets to visit the crown were sold out through the middle of September.
The Statue of Liberty is a monument that was presented by the people of France to the United States in 1886 to celebrate its centennial.
Source: Xinhua
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