Major General Marquis Gilbert de Lafayette, Bronze and marble memorial in Lafayette Square, United States.
The memorial displays an 11-foot bronze figure in civilian dress standing atop a French marble base, with four additional bronze military leaders arranged around it. These figures together form a cohesive group honoring France's role in American independence.
Congress authorized the memorial in 1885 and allocated funds for its completion in 1891. French sculptors Falguiere and Mercie created this work as a lasting recognition of French aid during the American fight for independence.
The square takes its name from the French officer who aided American independence. Visitors can feel today how this place marks the bond between the two nations.
The memorial sits at the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Madison Place on the southeast side of Lafayette Square. The location is open to the public and easily reached on foot, especially when visiting other nearby government buildings.
Four French military commanders - d'Estaing, de Grasse, Rochambeau, and du Portail - appear as bronze side figures. These officers each led crucial French operations that turned the tide of the American independence struggle.
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