The ''Flame of Liberty'' (''Flamme de la Liberté'') in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

is a full-sized, gold-leaf-covered replica of the flame of the torch from the

Statue of Liberty The Statue of Liberty (''Liberty Enlightening the World''; French: ''La Liberté éclairant le monde'') is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor in New York City, in the United States. The copper statue, a ...

(''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 the

Pont de l'Alma The Pont de l'Alma ( en, Alma Bridge) is a road bridge in Paris, France, across the Seine. It was named to commemorate the Battle of Alma during the Crimean War, in which the Ottoman-Franco-British alliance achieved victory over the Russian army ...

, on the

Place Diana The Place Diana ( en, Diana Square) is a public square situated in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, near the Seine river. History The place is named in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales, by vote of the Council of Paris in 2018. The place ...

, in the

16th arrondissement The 16th arrondissement of Paris (''XVIe arrondissement'') is one of the 20 arrondissements of the capital city of France. In spoken French, this arrondissement is referred to as ''seizième''. The arrondissement includes part of the Arc de T ...

Background

It was offered to Paris in 1989 by the ''

International Herald Tribune The ''International Herald Tribune'' (''IHT'') was a daily English-language newspaper published in Paris, France for international English-speaking readers. It had the aim of becoming "the world's first global newspaper" and could fairly be sai ...

'' on 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, the ''Flame'' was a token of thanks for the restoration work on the Statue of Liberty accomplished 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, the ''Flame 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 the ''Flame of Liberty'' in a public square called

Place des États-Unis The Place des États-Unis (; "United States Square") is a public space in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, France, about 500 m south of the Place de l'Étoile and the Arc de Triomphe. It consists of a plaza, approximately long and wide, tree ...

(United States Square) in the

, but the mayor of Paris at the time,

Jacques Chirac Jacques René Chirac (, , ; 29 November 193226 September 2019) was a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. Chirac was previously Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and from 1986 to 1988, as well as May ...

, was opposed to it. After a protracted period of negotiations, it was decided that the ''Flame'' would 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:

"The ''Flame 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 the ''International Herald Tribune''. Paris 1887–1987."

The ''Flame of Liberty'' became an unofficial memorial for

Diana, Princess of Wales Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William and Harry. Her ac ...

, after her 1997 death in the tunnel beneath the Pont de l'Alma. The flame became an attraction for tourists and followers of Diana, who fly-posted the 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 named

. The site of the monument is served by the Métro de Paris station Alma-Marceau on 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.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Flame Of Liberty Monuments and memorials in Paris Statue of Liberty Liberty symbols Buildings and structures in the 8th arrondissement of Paris