Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The statue of the Virgin of Saint-Germain-d'Esteuil was raised between 1870 and 1875 following a typhoid epidemic that struck the area between 1856 and 1858. This memorial, classified as a Historical Monument since 1991, symbolizes the gratitude of the inhabitants for the end of this health crisis. Its architecture combines neoclassical and religious elements, with a canned column surmounted by the Virgin with the Child, resting on a base decorated with plant motifs and inscriptions.

The base of the monument, structured in several levels, presents a penbate decorated with foliage and canned pilasters at the corners. Four engraved inscriptions are visible, framed by these architectural elements. The column, girded with two rings adorned with letters A and M intertwined in gills, supports a composite capital on which stands the Marian statue. This iconographic detail refers to Marian devotion, common in Catholic regions after collective trials.

The column and its base, protected by ministerial decree in 1991, also include a surrounding grid. The monument is located in Saint-Yzans-de-Médoc (formerly associated with Saint-Germain-d'Esteuil), in the department of Gironde, in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Its current location, 19 Rue de la Colonne, reflects its integration into the local landscape, although its precise location is considered a priori satisfactory (note 6/10) by heritage sources.

The building of this monument is part of a post-epidemic context where rural communities often raised statues or calvaries to thank the divinity. The typhoid, a disease feared in the 19th century, decimated part of the local population, reinforcing the votive character of the work. The Virgin, a protective figure, embodies here the hope of divine protection against future plagues.

Owned by the municipality, the statue and its column are subject to heritage protection including the base and the enclosure gate (cadastre section C, parcel 1355). No information is available about its current accessibility (visits, events) or its contemporary use (rent, worship). Sources are limited to Monumentum data and Merimée archives, without any mention of recent restorations.

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