Statue of Heracles, Arcachon, Bronze sculpture in Parc Mauresque, Arcachon, France
The Statue of Heracles in Arcachon is a white marble monument located in Parc Mauresque, showing a figure standing over three meters tall (about ten feet). The hero is shown upright, with a pelt draped over his shoulders, a staff in his right hand and reptiles in his left.
Sculptor Claude Bouscau completed the work in Italy before the outbreak of the Second World War, using an opponent of Benito Mussolini as his model. The town of Arcachon installed the figure in 1948 to honor resistance against occupation.
The figure takes its name from the Greek hero known for his extraordinary strength and victories over wild beasts. Visitors connect the motif of the lion skin and serpents with the courage of local resistance fighters who were active during the Second World War.
The park sits in the center of Arcachon and is easy to reach on foot or by public transport. Visitors will find the figure on a pedestal along the main paths of the garden, where it remains visible at all times.
The monument has a removable extension secured by magnets, which gets attached during official ceremonies. This solution arose after several cases of damage in which parts of the sculpture were deliberately taken.
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