The Monument aux Girondins in Bordeaux

Located on the place des Quinconces in Bordeaux, the Monument aux Girondins was built between 1894 and 1901. It stands as a tribute to the deputies of the Girondin group. While some call it the "colonne des Girondins," it remains a significant landmark, classified as a historic monument since 2011.

Preparations for the site began as early as 1868 with a project by architect Julien Guadet, but the city council finally decided to erect a memorial in 1881. In 1887, a competition was opened to all artists to propose a project. The first prize in 1888 was awarded to statuaire Jules Labatut and architect Pierre Esquié for their project titled "Alta fa qui pot" in Occitan. However, a separate project for a monumental fountain by Bartholdi was also being planned for the same square. When the city found Bartholdi's price too high, it merged the two concepts into a single monument-fountain. The project of Dumilâtre and Rich was taken up by adding two basins.

The final structure, designed by Alphonse Dumilatre and Victor Rich, features a 43-meter column topped by the bronze statue of the Génie de la Liberté breaking its chains. The south basin features "Le mensonge, le vice et l’ignorance" by the Leblanc-Barbedienne foundry. In 1989, a commemorative plaque was added, listing eight deputies from the Gironde department. While some locals have criticized the proportions and aesthetics of the sculpture over the years, it remains a core part of the city's historical landscape.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons