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Monument of Leopold II in Ostend

The monument of Leopold II in Ostend is an equestrian statue erected in Belgium in memory of King Leopold II, the second King of the Belgians. It stands on the Royal Galleries by the beach and was inaugurated on 19 July 1931. The king was commemorated here as a benefactor of Ostend and the Belgian Congo. The monument has long been controversial because of Leopold II’s colonial rule over the Congo Free State, under which millions of Congolese people died. It was vandalised in 2004 and again in 2020, reflecting ongoing debate over how Leopold II should be remembered in public space.

The Monument of Leopold II, a dark bronze equestrian statue on a stone pillar with sculptural figures at the base.
The Monument of Leopold II stands on a stone pedestal, flanked by sculptural groups beneath a cloudy sky.
April 2022 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Monument of Leopold II bronze sculpture with a rider on horseback above standing figures against a stone structure and blue sky.
The Monument of Leopold II features a bronze rider on horseback above sculpted figures at the base.
© · CC BY-SA 3.0
Close-up of the Monument of Leopold II showing a bronze relief group with men, women, and children around a central standing figure.
Close-up of the Monument of Leopold II, showing the bronze relief figures on its stone base.
April 2005 © Georges Jansoone · CC BY-SA 3.0
Bronze reliefs on the Monument of Leopold II showing grouped figures and a robed figure beside a stone pillar.
Close-up of the bronze reliefs on the Monument of Leopold II.
July 2021 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Bronze-toned medallion with the profile of Leopold II facing left and a hanging loop at the top.
Bronze medallion showing the profile of Leopold II, with a loop for hanging at the top.
March 2021 © · CC BY 4.0

Identification

TitleMonument of Leopold II in Ostend
Local nameDe Drie Gapers ("The Three Gaps")
TypeEquestrian statue monument
SubjectLeopold II, second King of the Belgians
Original Dutch nameRuiterstandbeeld van Koning Leopold II

Historical context

Commemorative purposeErected to honour Leopold II as a benefactor of Ostend and the Belgian Congo
Colonial contextAssociated with Leopold II’s colonial rule over the Congo Free State and the exploitation of Congolese people
ControversySubject of ongoing controversy because of Leopold II’s role in the Congo Free State and Belgium’s colonial past
Commissioning contextPlanned after Leopold II’s death in 1909; the city government resumed work on the monument after the First World War, on the proposal of an alderman who wanted to preserve the memory of his benefactor

Creator

Associated artistThomas Vinçotte
SculptorAlfred Courtens
ArchitectAntoine Courtens

Discovery and provenance

LocationOstend, Belgium
Specific locationPromenade du Roi Baudouin, on the seawall facing the North Sea, by the Royal Galleries
Inauguration date19 July 1931
UnveilingUnveiled by King Albert I after speeches by the mayor of Ostend and the king
Attending dignitariesMembers of the royal family, members of the government, the President of the Chamber, the President of the Court of Cassation, the President of the Court of Appeal, foreign ambassadors, and consuls general
Public receptionAn enormous crowd was present to acclaim the king

Physical characteristics

Inscriptions"Ostende à son génial protecteur LÉOPOLD II"
OrientationDesigned so the king can be admired from the dyke; from the opposite side only the rider is visible
MaterialBronze
Main figureLeopold II on horseback, wearing a military uniform and looking over the North Sea
StructureA monument divided into four large parts, centered on a vertical column with two horizontal bases

Appearance

Monogram formThe monument is shaped like a double L monogram, referring to Leopold II’s monogram of two reversed Ls

Iconography and meaning

Left-side groupThe Congolese people thanking Leopold II for having liberated them from Arab slavery; includes a helmeted colonizer, a man seen from behind, two women with broken chains, children picking cocoa, and an elephant trunk alluding to the ivory trade
Right-side groupThe population of Ostend, especially the fishermen of the region, paying tribute to their king; includes two men, three women, and four children in a fishing boat
Front figureBelgium paying homage to its king, represented by an allegorical figure
MeaningThe monument presents Leopold II as a benefactor and recipient of gratitude from Congo, Ostend fishermen, and Belgium
Associated group nameGratitude of the Congolese
Alternative section nameThe Colonial Work

History and restoration

Protection statusDeclared a protected monument on 22 September 1981
VandalismVandalised several times, including in 2004 and 2020; one later attack covered the equestrian statue in red paint
2004 vandalismActivists from De Stoete Ostendenoare symbolically cut off a bronze hand from one of the kneeling Congolese figures to denounce abuses under Leopold II’s colonial regime
2020 vandalismVandalised again in 2020 during Black Lives Matter protests after the murder of George Floyd
PetitionsPetitions were created to remove statues of Leopold II, including this monument
Municipal responseOn 9 June 2020, Mayor Bart Tommelein said the city council takes the fight against racism seriously but that replacing or removing statues would not happen

Significance

Public debatePart of the broader debate over whether Leopold II statues should be removed or kept, in the context of decolonizing public space