The Bronze Buddy of Union Square: A Tribute to Lafayette

This hunk of bronze, resting in Union Square Park, was an 1876 offering from New York's francophiles, lauding a gent from another city. The Marquis, a fellow named Lafayette, was born on September 6, 1757, a French noble and military type. He played a significant role in the American Revolution. These days though, it's the statue in Union Square that's the yarn-spinner. Sitting atop a Quincy granite pedestal, it bears an inscription, 'Lafayette // To the French residents of New York.

It reads like it's in memoriam of solidarity, '1870–1871. In his own words, 'As soon as I heard about American independence, my heart was enlisted. 1776. This bronze marvel is a tribute to a man who, despite his foreign roots, was captivated by the American Revolution spirit and chose to stand side by side with France's next-door neighbor. Now, it stands as a living monument to the stories that have unfolded in Union Square Park for decades. A statue worth a good look, if you ask me!

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons