NEW YORK: The Statue of Liberty was illuminated Friday evening for the first time since it was closed due to damage on Liberty Island caused by Superstorm Sandy.
The statue, one of the city’s top tourist attractions, has been closed because of damage to the island resulting from the storm that hit New York Oct. 29, with no estimate on when it will reopen to visitors.
The statue sits on a small island in New York Harbor, and can be seen from many vantage points around New York City.
The monument was re-lit through temporary measures made possible by a donation of equipment and services from Musco Lighting to the National Park Foundation, which is the official charity of America’s national parks, according to a statement from the National Park Service. Another company, Natoli Construction, handled the lighting of the statue’s torch and crown.
The temporary lighting will remain in place until permanent repairs are made.
Mike Litterst, a spokesman for the National Park Service, said it was not clear in advance whether the Friday lighting would include the torch “so it was a pleasant surprise to be able to get the torch lit tonight.”
The statue’s lamp is held aloft by its raised arm and marks the highest point of the 305-foot-tall (93 meters) monument, which was dedicated in 1886. “The New Colossus,” a poem by Emma Lazarus engraved inside the statue’s pedestal, refers to the beacon in its final line: “I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
Statue of Liberty lit for 1st time since Sandy
Statue of Liberty lit for 1st time since Sandy
Makkah museum displays world’s largest Qur’an
MAKKAH: The Holy Qur’an Museum at the Hira Cultural District in Makkah is showcasing a monumental handwritten copy of the Holy Qur’an, recognized as the largest Qur’an of its kind in the world.
The manuscript measures 312 cm by 220 cm and comprises 700 pages, earning the museum recognition from Guinness World Records for displaying the world’s largest Qur’an, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The manuscript is a magnified reproduction of a historic Qur’an dating back to the 16th century, the SPA stated.
The original copy measures 45 cm by 30 cm, with the chapters written primarily in Thuluth script, while Surah Al-Fatiha was penned in Naskh, reflecting the refined artistic choices and calligraphic diversity of the era.
The Qur’an is a unique example of Arabic calligraphy, gilding and bookbinding, showcasing Islamic art through intricate decorations, sun-shaped motifs on the opening folio, and elaborately designed frontispiece and title pages that reflect a high level of artistic mastery.
The manuscript was endowed as a waqf in 1883. Its original version is currently preserved at the King Abdulaziz Complex for Endowment Libraries, serving as a lasting testament to Muslims’ enduring reverence for the Qur’an and the richness of Islamic arts across the centuries.
