| Statue of Louis XVI | |
|---|---|
.jpg.webp) The statue in 2008 | |
| Artist | Achille Valois |
| Subject | Louis XVI |
| Location | Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. |
| 38°15′16″N 85°45′37″W / 38.25436°N 85.76014°W | |
A statue of Louis XVI by Achille Valois arrived in Louisville, Kentucky, in December 1966 and was installed in July 1967, before being removed "due to safety concerns" in September 2020.[1]
Description
| Weight | Height | Material |
|---|---|---|
| 6.5 tons | 6′10″ | Carrara marble with limestone base |
History
The statue's first home was the town square of Montpellier, France, in 1829. There, it was reviled and toppled over in less than year. It was then moved to a military dungeon and stayed there until it was discovered by an officer taking inventory in 1899. In 1966, Montpellier decided to give the statue to Louisville, Kentucky, since the city is named after Louis XVI. It was shipped on a U.S. Navy ship to Norfolk, Virginia, where it sat for a week in Naval Station Pier 2 in late 1966. The statue was then put on a train and made it to Louisville on Christmas Day 1966. The mayor of Louisville at the time, Kenneth Schmied, is quoted as saying, "It's a great Christmas present for our city."[3]
See also
References
- ↑ "King Louis XVI statue removed due to 'safety concerns'". 4 September 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-09-04. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
- ↑ "Louis XVI". LouisvilleKY.gov. Archived from the original on 2021-12-03. Retrieved 2021-12-03.
- ↑ Glowicki, Matthew (September 3, 2020). "Everything to know about Louisville's most famous regift: The King Louis XVI statue". Louisville Courier Journal. Archived from the original on 2022-10-15. Retrieved 2022-10-15.