Monument aux morts des Abymes, War memorial in Les Abymes, Guadeloupe.
Monument aux morts des Abymes is a six-meter obelisk topped with a shell shape and decorated with four ceramic panels on each side. The structure sits on Place Frédéric-Jalton facing the city hall of Les Abymes.
Inaugurated on December 26, 1937, with Governor Félix Éboué in attendance, this monument honors 43 soldiers who died in World War I. Its establishment during the 1930s reflected growing efforts to recognize colonial military participation.
The ceramic panels display a Black Marianne cradling a dying soldier, a rare choice in French memorial art. This imagery reflects how the local community saw itself in the story of sacrifice and remembrance.
The memorial sits in a public plaza and remains open throughout the year for visits and ceremonies. Its location next to city hall makes it straightforward to find and reach.
The obelisk was designed by Ardaches Baldjian, an Armenian sculptor who arrived in the French Caribbean in 1934 and left his mark on the region. His work blends European forms with Caribbean influences in unexpected ways.
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