Monument aux héros et victimes de la mer

Located in the 7e arrondissement of Marseille facing the fort Saint-Jean, the monument aux héros et victimes de la mer stands in the garden of the Palais du Pharo. The bronze sculpture depicts three sailors in a scene of peril - one standing and raising his arm while supporting a wounded comrade, while a third is swept away by a wave that tilts their boat against a granite reef.

The history of the monument began in 1913 when Paul Peytral, senator of the Bouches-du-Rhône, formed a committee to create a memorial. Although sculptor Auguste Carli was initially chosen, his model did not please the maritime workers. A second committee was formed to commission André Alexandre Verdilhan, but the project was halted by the outbreak of the First World War.

Following the war, a desire to honor sailors who died during the conflict revived the project. The monument was eventually inaugurated on July 14, 1923. It was built by subscription from commercial sailors and agents of the general service. The site was officially listed as a historical monument on July 23, 2009.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons