Column of the Goddess, Victory column at Place du Général-de-Gaulle, France
The Column of the Goddess is a monument made of bronze and granite that rises in the center of Lille's main square. The work features a bronze statue positioned atop a granite base and sits within a circular fountain.
The monument was erected to honor the 1792 siege of Lille, when citizens resisted Austrian forces for nine days during the French Revolutionary Wars. This event marked a crucial moment of resistance in the city's history.
The statue is affectionately called the Goddess by locals, a name that has become woven into the identity of the square through everyday speech and regional writings. This familiar designation reveals how deeply residents connect with the monument.
The monument stands directly in the center of the square and is easily accessible on foot from anywhere in the downtown area. The surrounding fountain and open space make it a natural gathering point where you can take time to view it comfortably.
The monument occupies the spot where the Saint-Étienne church once stood before its destruction during the Austrian bombardment of 1792. The column thus replaced a religious building with a memorial to civic power.
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