Monument aux Girondins

Monument aux Girondins is a large memorial in Bordeaux featuring a white stone column topped with a bronze statue of Liberty, rising approximately 54 meters from the ground. The column is surrounded by fountain basins at its base, creating an integrated water feature that frames the structure.

Construction took place between 1894 and 1902 to honor the Girondist deputies who were executed during the French Revolution's Reign of Terror. After German forces removed the bronze sculptures during World War II, they were discovered in another French city and restored during the 1980s.

The monument is named after the Girondists, a political faction from the French Revolution, and features bronze sculptures representing History and Eloquence that visitors can observe from below. These figures and the decorative elements on the column tell stories of the city's past through their placement and design.

The monument is located at Place des Quinconces in central Bordeaux and serves as an easy landmark to find and navigate toward. The surrounding area offers walking paths and plazas that make it accessible from multiple directions.

The bronze sculptures were dismantled by German occupiers during World War II and were intended to be melted down for weapons. Remarkably, the hidden artworks were later found intact in another city, making a complete restoration possible.