Many of us are unaware of the surprising relevance of the period to the Ottoman sultan when the Statue of Liberty, which became a symbol of freedom not only in America but also all over the world, was built.
There are many interesting claims about the Statue of Liberty, such as the plan to erect the Suez Canal where it connects to the Mediterranean in the 1700s.
First, what is this “Statue of Liberty”?
The Statue of Liberty is one of the most famous monuments to symbolize independence, located on Liberty Island in New York City, USA. Statue; It was gifted to America by France.
On the tablet of the monument holding a torch in his right hand and an inscription in his left hand, the date of the Declaration of Independence (July 1776) is the writer and the statue; It is open to all visitors at all hours of the day.
The Ottoman Empire has indirect roles in the construction process of the statue.
Some sources of financial funding were required for the Statue of Liberty, designed and built by the French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi. The sculptor began to think of various ways.
In the end, Auguste Bartholdi decided to visit countries one by one to find support, and one of his stops was the Ottoman Empire.
Sultan Abdulaziz wanted to contribute to the sculpture.
Sultan Abdulaziz, the sultan of the period, intended to make a small financial contribution for the construction of the statue, but due to the internal political situation and financial difficulties at that time, his plans were not fully realized. However, in some sources, it is written that Abdulaziz made a small contribution. So it is not clear whether he contributed or not.
According to some claims, the Statue of Liberty was actually to be erected in the Mediterranean.
According to the claim made by journalist Murat Bardakçı in 2004, the statue was originally commissioned by the Egyptian Khedive Said Pasha to be erected where the Suez Canal opens to the Mediterranean.
When the monument was completed, such a statue was sent to France, considering that the Muslim people would not welcome it. It is said that the statue, which had been waiting in France for many years, was later given to the United States as a gift.
These various claims; some writers, journalists, and historians accept it, while others completely deny the veracity of such a thing.
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