Kaiser-Wilhelm-Denkmal, Bronze equestrian memorial in Kaiserplatz, Germany.
The Kaiser-Wilhelm-Denkmal is a bronze equestrian statue on Kaiserplatz in Karlsruhe, surrounded by trees and facing east so that Wilhelm I appears to ride into the city. The rider wears a general's uniform, not imperial regalia, and stands on a three-part pedestal of red Swedish granite set on a stepped platform. Bronze reliefs show the proclamation of Wilhelm as emperor at Versailles on the north side and Baden troops on the south side.
In 1889, a year after Wilhelm I's death, the Grand Duke of Baden called for a memorial. Adolf Heer designed it, and it was inaugurated on 18 October 1897. In 2002, 27 granite tablets naming revolutionaries executed in 1849 during the Baden Revolution were set into the ground east of the monument.
The bronze relief on the north side shows Wilhelm's proclamation as emperor in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles; the south side depicts Baden's troops. Since 2002, 27 granite tablets set into the ground east of the monument carry the names of revolutionaries executed in 1849 during the Baden Revolution.
The monument stands on Kaiserplatz in the city center and is easily reached by public transport. Visitors can view the statue from all sides since it sits on an open plaza.
The original monument included four allegorical figures that were melted down in 1943 during World War II. These bronze sculptures were lost and only the mounted rider and base remain today.
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