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The colonial-style structure is surrounded by many larger buildings, numbering from close to ten stories,

to a couple dozen. The building itself has had great attention and care and was recommended for the

UNESCO cultural heritage list in 1979. It’s main recommendation and reason for quick acceptance was the

impact that the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United Sates has had on lawmakers

and politicians around the world – both documents were signed and debated in Independence Hall. The

building is currently managed by the National Park Service (NPS).

ii. THE STATUE OF LIBERTY

The Statue of Liberty (New York, New York) meets two of UNESCO’s criteria

for cultural heritage: one as the same as Independence Hall, and the other which sets

the site apart structurally as it is a testimony to “creative human genius” (criteria i).

The brief description of the site from UNESCO is below.

“Made in Paris by the French sculptor Bartholdi, in collaboration with

Gustave Eiffel (who was responsible for the steel framework), this towering

monument to liberty was a gift from France on the centenary of American

independence. Inaugurated in 1886, the sculpture stands at the entrance to New York

Harbour and has welcomed millions of immigrants to the United States ever since.”

(“Statue of Liberty,” 2019).

Aside from its structural significance, the other main value in the statue is the

symbol of freedom and opportunity it demonstrated to migrants who were entering the

United States, specifically in the nineteenth and twentieth century. Its value is both

based in the United States, but also to the world with its testimony of immigration. It

was added to the list in 1984.

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