Flame of Liberty

TheFlame of Liberty,which was offered to the people of France by donors throughout the world as a symbol of theFranco-Americanfriendship. In the background, theEiffel Tower.

TheFlame of Liberty(Flamme de la Liberté) inParisis a full-sized, gold-leaf-covered replica of the flame of the torch from theStatue of Liberty(Liberty Enlightening the World).The monument, which measures approximately 3.5 metres in height, is a sculpture of a flame, executed in gilded copper, supported by a pedestal of gray-and-black marble. It is located near the northern end of thePont de l'Alma,on thePlace Diana,in the16th arrondissement.

Background

It was offered to Paris in 1989 by theInternational Herald Tribuneon behalf of donors who had contributed approximately $400,000 for its fabrication. It represented the culmination of that newspaper's 1987 celebration of its hundredth anniversary of publishing an English-language daily newspaper in Paris. More importantly, theFlamewas a token of thanks for therestoration work on the Statue of Libertyaccomplished three years earlier by two French businesses that did artisanal work on the project, namely Métalliers Champenois, which did the bronze work, and the Gohard Studios, which applied the gold leaf. While the gift to France was prompted by the centennial of the newspaper, theFlame of Liberty,more broadly, is a lasting symbol of the friendship uniting the two countries, just as the statue itself was when it was given to the United States by France.

This project was overseen by the director of the French craft unions at that time, Jacques Graindorge. He foresaw an installation of theFlame of Libertyin a public square calledPlace des États-Unis(United States Square) in the16th arrondissement,but the mayor of Paris at the time,Jacques Chirac,was opposed to it. After a protracted period of negotiations, it was decided that theFlamewould be placed in an open area near the intersection of l'Avenue de New-York (New York Avenue) and the Place de l'Alma. The monument was dedicated on 10 May 1989 by Chirac.

On the base of the monument, a commemorative plaque recounts the following story:

"TheFlame of Liberty.An exact replica of the Statue of Liberty's flame offered to the people of France by donors throughout the world as a symbol of the Franco-American friendship. On the occasion of the centennial of theInternational Herald Tribune.Paris 1887–1987. "

Place Dianastreet sign

TheFlame of Libertybecame an unofficial memorial forDiana, Princess of Wales,afterher 1997 deathin the tunnel beneath the Pont de l'Alma.The flame became an attraction for tourists and followers of Diana, whofly-postedthe base with commemorative material. Anthropologist Guy Lesoeurs said, "Most people who come here think this was built for her."Since 2019, the site has been officially namedPlace Diana.

The site of the monument is served by theMétro de ParisstationAlma-Marceauon Line No. 9 and by the RER commuter rail station, Pont de l'Alma, on its 'C' Line, as well as by buses numbered 42, 63, 72, 80, 92, and the Balabus sightseeing buses.