The Statue of Liberty was once brown in colour

It may come as a surprise but one of the United States' most recognisable icons wasn't always green.

Gifted by the French and designed by sculptor, Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, the Statue of Liberty is made from copper and is based on the roman liberty goddess.

The stature and the iron frame arrived piece by piece and was dedicated on her new home on Liberty Island in New York harbour in 1886.

The green hue is a result of oxidation of the external which helps to form a weather proof barrier against the elements.