Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Monument to the Deaths of Saint-Pardoux-la-Rivière, located in Place Général de Gaulle, was inaugurated in 1925 to honour the local victims of the First World War. It is distinguished by a statue entitled "On ne passe pas", carved by Eugène Piron, representing a Poilu in military clothing. This monument symbolizes the resistance and sacrifice of French soldiers during the conflict. Its architecture combines a neoclassical style, with two columns with ionic capitals evoking an ancient temple, reinforcing its solemn and commemorative character.

The work was classified as Historic Monument by order of 3 February 2015, thus protecting the entire structure, including its base and decorative elements. The precise location, although noted as "passable" (note 5/10) in the databases, corresponds to the official address of the town hall, in the central square of the village. The monument remains communal property, emphasizing its anchor in local collective memory.

The sculptor Eugène Piron, author of the statue, is an artist known for his commemorative works related to the Great War. "On ne passe pas" is an emblematic expression of French defence, particularly associated with the Battle of Verdun (1916), although the source text does not explicitly specify this link. The choice of a Poilu, a soldier typical of the trenches, and an architecture inspired by antiquity, illustrates the desire to perpetuate the memory of the fighting while giving them a universal and timeless dimension.

External links