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Origin and history

The Fontenoy pyramid, although so named, is actually a 17-metre-high obelisk built in blue stone from the quarries of Basècles. Built in 1750 in the park of Saint-Calixte Abbey of Cysoing, this monument commemorates the stay of King Louis XV in this abbey at the beginning of the military campaign against the Austrian Netherlands. The French victory at the Battle of Fontenoy in May 1745, the culmination of this campaign, was celebrated by this building.

The obelisk, designed by Jesuit Father Charles Wastelain of Lille and carved by Nicolas Desmoulain, rests on a triangular base. Originally, eight star aisles, bordered by charmile hedges, structured the space around the monument. These landscape developments, documented by drawings by Canon François-Joseph Théry de Gricourt after two decades of existence, reflected a desire for symmetry and size characteristic of the eighteenth century.

Ranked a historic monument in 1840 on the first official list, the obelisk was restored in 1888 under the direction of Charles Marteau. Its present location, in the heart of the Abbatial Park, recalls the role of Cysoing as a royal residence during the 18th century conflicts. Historical sources, such as the works of Louis Wartel (1752) or Henri Bruneel (1850), attest to its symbolic importance for the French monarchy.

The blue stone used, known as the best in Hainaut, and the initial geometrical plans highlight the artistic and political ambition of this monument. Although its name evokes a pyramid, its obelisk form is part of a classic commemorative tradition, linked to military victories. Today, there remains a major architectural testimony to the history of Hauts-de-France and its royal heritage.

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