Logo Musée du Patrimoine

All French heritage classified by regions, departments and cities

  2. Patrimoine
  3. Normandie
  4. Calvados
  5. 14700 Falaise

  6. Statue of William the Conqueror of Falaise

 Statue of William the Conqueror of Falaise dans le Calvados

Patrimoine classé
Patrimoine urbain
Statue
Calvados

Statue of William the Conqueror of Falaise

    Place Guillaume-le-Conquérant
    14700 Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Statue de Guillaume le Conquérant de Falaise
Crédit photo : Man vyi - Sous licence Creative Commons

Timeline

Temps modernes
Révolution/Empire
XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
1800
1900
2000
1837
Initial project
1848
Plaster model
26 octobre 1851
Inauguration equestrian statue
19 septembre 1875
Added the six dukes
18 juillet 2006
First protection
16 février 2024
Final classification
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

The equestrian statue of Guillaume le Conquerant, with its base comprising the six statues of the Dukes of Normandy, located Place Guillaume-le-Conquerant, on the non-cadastre public domain, as delimited and hashed in red on the plan annexed to the decree: classification by order of 16 February 2024

Key figures

Guillaume le Conquérant - Duke of Normandy and King of England Main subject of the statue.
Louis Rochet - Sculptor Author of the equestrian statue.
Victor Thièbaut - Founder Melted the bronze statue.
Frères Thiébaut - Founders Author of the six statues of the Dukes.
Alexandre II - Pope Donor of the represented gonfanon.
Trolonge - Architect Designer of the pedestal.

Origin and history

The statue of William the Conqueror, located in Place Guillaume-le-Conquerant in Falaise, Calvados, is a bronze work by sculptor Louis Rochet and melted by Victor Thièbaut. Inaugurated on October 26, 1851 thanks to a national subscription, she represented the Duke of Normandy and King of England on a horse, inspired by Bayeux' tapestry for historical realism. The granite pedestal, designed by architect Trolonge, was exhibited on the Champs Elysées before its final installation.

The monument includes six additional statues, added on September 19, 1875, representing the Dukes of Normandy (Rollon, William I, Robert I, Richard I, Richard II and Richard III). These statues, melted by the Thiébaut brothers, complete the base where two commemorative plaques recall the origin of the monument: one cites the birth of Guillaume in 1027, the other details the dates of erection of the statues and their financing by subscription.

During Vichy's regime, the statue was briefly threatened with melting to recover non-ferrous metals, but it was finally spared. Classified as a historical monument since 16 February 2024 (after a first inscription in 2006), it belongs to the commune of Falaise. The original project dates back to 1837, with a plaster model presented by the Rochet brothers in 1848, before its final realization.

Louis Rochet devoted himself to a faithful representation of Guillaume, including details such as the mesh hood, the Norman fixed nasal helmet, and the papal gonfanon. The monument, located near the town hall, the church of the Trinity and the castle of Falaise, symbolizes the Norman heritage and the memory of the Conqueror, a native of the city. Its granite pedestal of Sainte-Honorine and its exhibition in Paris underline its artistic and historical importance.

External links

Page Wikipedia
Page Monumentum