Lely's Column, Bronze monument in Stadhuisplein, Lelystad, Netherlands.
Lely's Column is a 32-meter tall monument on Stadhuisplein with a bronze statue of Cornelis Lely at its peak. The structure is built from basalt and reflects the engineering work connected to transforming water areas into habitable land.
This monument was completed in 2002 using a bronze casting technique developed by Mari Andriessen in 1954. The original sculptor Piet Esser left the project, which led to the adoption of Andriessen's design for its final form.
The monument reflects how water engineering shaped the region and the people who live here. It stands as a symbol of human ambition to transform the landscape for settlement and livelihood.
The column sits on the main city square and is easy to reach from downtown Lelystad. You can walk around it freely from different angles without any special arrangements needed.
The basalt used in the column comes from the same dikes that protect the city from water. This connection shows how protective structures themselves become monuments to human engineering.
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