Petit-Montrouge in Paris in Département de Paris, Île-de-France, France — Western Europe

Le Lion de Belfort/ The Lion of Belfort

— Histoire de Paris —

Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, April 27, 2024

1. Le Lion de Belfort/ The Lion of Belfort Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

L'énorme lion en bronze du sculpteur Auguste Bartholdi (1834-1904) symbolise l'héroïsme de la ville de Belfort et de son défenseur, le colonel Denfert-Rochereau, qui résistèrent aux assauts des troupes prussiennes de novembre 1870 à février 1871. Après avoir taillé à Belfort un lion dans le grès rouge de la montagne, Bartholdi en proposa un modèle réduit en cuivre repoussé, qui fut placé au centre de l'ancienne barrière méridionale de Paris; prudemment, pour éviter de froisser la susceptibilité germanique, il tourna le regard du noble animal vers l'Ouest. Le monument fut inauguré en 1880 et un médaillon en l'honneur de Denfert-Rochereau fut ajouté sur le socle en 1979, un tiers de siècle après le retour de l'Alsace et de la Lorraine à la France.

(English translation:)
The enormous bronze lion by sculptor Auguste Bartholdi (1834-1904) symbolizes the heroism of the town of Belfort and its defender, Colonel Denfert-Rochereau, who resisted the assaults of Prussian troops from November 1870 to February 1871. After having carved a lion in Belfort from the red sandstone of the mountain, Bartholdi proposed a reduced model in embossed copper, which was placed in the center of the old southern barrier of Paris;

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cautiously, to avoid offending Germanic sensibilities, he turned the noble animal's gaze towards the West. The monument was inaugurated in 1880 and a medallion in honor of Denfert-Rochereau was added to the base in 1979, a third of a century after the return of Alsace and Lorraine to France.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Wars, Non-US. In addition, it is included in the Histoire de Paris series list.

Location. 48° 50.048′ N, 2° 19.922′ E. Marker is in Paris, Île-de-France, in Département de Paris. It is in Petit-Montrouge. Marker is on Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4 Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy, Paris, Île-de-France 75014, France. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Catacombes (within shouting distance of this marker); Square de l’Abbé Migne (1880) (within shouting distance of this marker); Square Claude Nicolas Ledoux 1894 (within shouting distance of this marker); Square Jacques Antoine 1896 (within shouting distance of this marker); Georges Lamarque (about 90 meters away, measured in a direct line); Gare de Denfert-Rochereau / Denfert-Rochereau Station (about 150 meters away); Square Georges Lamarque (1904) (about 180 meters away); Charles Couyba (approx. 0.3 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Paris.

Also see . . .

Le Lion de Belfort/ The Lion of Belfort Marker - wide view image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, April 27, 2024

2. Le Lion de Belfort/ The Lion of Belfort Marker - wide view

1. Lion of Belfort Statue (Alta Plana).

Excerpt: The Lion of Belfort is a bronze sculpture by Auguste Bartholdi situated at the middle of the square of Place Denfert-Rochereau in Paris (14th arrondissement). It is a smaller replica of the monumental statue carved out of the rock below the castle of Belfort The statue is 4m high and 7m long and is one third the size of the original statue in Belfort.

(Submitted on April 29, 2024.)

2. Siege of Belfort (Wikipedia).

Overview: The siege of Belfort (3 November 1870 – 18 February 1871) was a 103-day military assault and blockade of the city of Belfort, France by Prussian forces during the Franco-Prussian War. The French garrison held out until the January 1871 armistice between France and the German Empire obligated French forces to abandon the stronghold in February 1871.

(Submitted on April 29, 2024.)

Le Lion de Belfort/ The Lion of Belfort image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, April 27, 2024

3. Le Lion de Belfort/ The Lion of Belfort

Le Lion de Belfort image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Levy Fils et Cie, Paris, circa 1905

4. Le Lion de Belfort

Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi, who is actually most famous for being the sculptor of the Statue of Liberty, presented the scale model of the Lion of Belfort in plaster at the 1878 Paris Salon, and this was subsequently purchased by the city of Paris for the sum of 20,000 French Francs. - Alta Plana

Panorama de la Place du Lion de Belfort image. Click for full size.

Photographed By F. Marmuse, Paris, circa 1905

5. Panorama de la Place du Lion de Belfort

Credits. This page was last revised on April 29, 2024. It was originally submitted on April 29, 2024, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 40 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on April 29, 2024, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.