 The Golden Virgin atop the basilica | |
 | |
| 50°00′13.5″N 02°38′53.1″E / 50.003750°N 2.648083°E | |
| Location | 20 Rue Anicet Godin, 80300 Albert, France |
|---|---|
| Designer | Albert Roze |
| Material | Metal |
| Height | 5 m (16 ft 5 in)[1] |
| Completion date | 1897 |
| Restored date | 1929 (recast and replaced) |
| Dedicated to | Virgin Mary |
The Golden Virgin, also known as The Leaning Virgin, is a gilded sculpture by the French artist Albert Roze originally completed in 1897 and installed on the rooftop of the Basilica of Our Lady of Brebières (French: Basilique Notre-Dame de Brebières) in Albert, France. Regarded as a symbol of French resilience during World War I,[A] the artwork portrays the Virgin Mary presenting Christ Child heavenward.
In 1915, German shelling knocked over the statue, and it nearly toppled again due to shellfire during the 1916 Battle of the Somme.[B] After falling in 1918 as a result of British bombardment, the statue went missing. Its destruction took on mythical proportions, with the anticipated toppling superstitiously believed to influence the war's outcome.[3] Eventually, the statue was recast and replaced in 1929.
- ^ Holt & Holt 2016, p. 368.
- ^ Reed, Paul (October 11, 2012). "WW1 Landmarks: The Leaning Virgin, Albert". Retrieved October 15, 2021.
- ^ a b "Item MM 120129 Photograph - 'Basilica of Notre-Dame de Brebières', Albert, France, Sergeant John Lord, World War I, 1916". Museums Victoria. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
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