Robert E. Lee Monument, Bronze equestrian monument in Richmond, United States
The Robert E. Lee Monument was a bronze equestrian sculpture in Richmond that stood roughly 60 feet (18 meters) tall including its granite pedestal. The general sat on horseback above a base that measured about 40 feet (12 meters) around and occupied a central circle on Monument Avenue.
French sculptor Antonin Mercié completed the work in 1890 as the first memorial of its kind along the avenue. The city removed the figure in September 2021 after nationwide debates about Civil War memory.
The statue represented a central figure of Confederate remembrance until its removal in 2021 following nationwide protests against racial discrimination.
The surrounding area became a public space after 2020 that people used for gatherings and artworks. The site sits at a major intersection with parking nearby and can be reached on foot or by bicycle easily.
Workers found no time capsule in the pedestal during the 2021 dismantling despite records mentioning its placement in 1887. The search turned up only a rusted metal box and a few items of little value.
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