Monument aux héros et victimes de la mer, War memorial in Parc du Pharo, Marseille, France
The Monument aux héros et victimes de la mer is a bronze sculpture in Parc du Pharo showing three sailors in moments of struggle and rescue. The figures depict a standing sailor assisting another while a third person lies on a tilted boat, capturing a scene of maritime emergency.
Senator Paul Peytral conceived the memorial project in 1913, but World War I interrupted construction for a decade. The completed work was formally inaugurated on July 14, 1923.
The memorial sits in a park overlooking the sea and reflects Marseille's deep connection to maritime life and its seafaring legacy. Visitors can sense how important sailing and naval work have always been to the identity of this port city.
The memorial is located at Boulevard Charles Livon in the seventh district and is accessible by public transportation. The park setting allows you to see Fort Saint-Jean and the Mediterranean Sea beyond the monument.
The original plaster model for this sculpture is carefully preserved in the Bouches-du-Rhone departmental archives as a historical record. This safekeeping shows how seriously the region values both the artistic vision and memorial importance of the work.
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