Fearless Girl installed in her new home in front of the New York Stock Exchange

The bronze statue of a young girl standing with her hands on her hips has been relocated from Bowling Green Park, where it stood across the iconic "Charging Bull" for over a year, to a spot outside of the New York Stock Exchange. The New York mayor's office said in April that the statue's post outside of the stock exchange would be its "long-term" home.

A plaque has been placed where "Fearless Girl" used to be.

"Fearless Girl," which was installed by the financial firm State Street Global Advisors in March 2017, was only supposed to stay in place for a few days. But New York decided to extend the statue's permit in response to the public's embrace.

Fans see the statue as a symbol of empowerment and equality. They've dressed it for poor weather and imitated its pose — chest forward, chin held high — to be photographed by its side. Crowding around the statue posed a safety risk and was a factor in the move, the city said.

The statue also has its critics. Because "Fearless Girl" was commissioned by State Street to raise awareness of the firm's initiative to increase the number of women on corporate boards, some see the statue as a glorified ad. "Charging Bull" sculptor Arturo Di Modica said "Fearless Girl" tarnishes the bull's positive message.

Moving "Fearless Girl" is no small feat. Sculptor Kristen Visbal, who made the statue, said that it took nearly six hours to install "Fearless Girl" opposite the bull. First, the team had to extend the tip of Bowling Green Park, where "Charging Bull" sits, by lowering a massive cobblestone base onto city property. They installed the hollow statue, which Visbal estimates weighs about 300 pounds, into the base, and had to adjust the statue to offset the street's steep incline.