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Flame of Liberty

Flame of Liberty is a life-size replica of the new flame on the Statue of Liberty in New York. Located near the north end of the Pont de l’Alma in Paris’s 8th arrondissement, it is a gilded copper sculpture set on a gray-and-black marble pedestal. The monument was offered to the city of Paris in 1989 by the International Herald Tribune, funded by donors, and inaugurated by Jacques Chirac. It was intended as a symbol of French-American friendship and a tribute connected to the newspaper’s centenary celebrations. After Diana of Wales died in 1997 in the tunnel beneath the Pont de l’Alma, the flame became an unofficial memorial to her and a popular site for visitors.

The Flame of Liberty sculpture with a golden flame on a dark stepped base in an urban street setting.
The Flame of Liberty stands on its dark base near a Paris street.
© · CC BY-SA 4.0
Flame of Liberty monument with photos and messages at its base, with an adult and child nearby.
The Flame of Liberty memorial in Paris, shown with photographs and written tributes around its base.
July 2001 © · Public domain
The Flame of Liberty sculpture stands above a memorial of flowers, photos, and locks, with two people nearby and Paris buildings in the background.
The Flame of Liberty in Paris with tributes gathered at its base.
September 2017 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
The Flame of Liberty sculpture stands beside a tree-lined city intersection with traffic and buildings under an overcast sky.
The Flame of Liberty is visible at a busy Paris intersection, partially framed by trees and streetlights.
July 2009 © · CC BY 2.0
A memorial on a dark granite surface with wrapped bouquets, two framed photos of Princess Diana, and a heart-shaped floral wreath marked 15.
Tributes left at the Princess Diana memorial near the Flame of Liberty in Paris.
August 2012 © · CC BY 2.0

Identification

TitleFlame of Liberty
Original French nameFlamme de la Liberté
Original Polish namePłomień wolności
Portuguese nameA Chama da Liberdade
TypeSculpture
DescriptionFull-size replica of the flame at the tip of the Statue of Liberty's torch in New York

Physical characteristics

HeightAbout 3.5 meters
FormFlame

Materials

Main materialGilded copper
Pedestal materialGray-and-black marble

Location and ownership

Associated site classificationDescribed as a social palimpsest and as an example of James Young's concept of a counter-monument
DecorationLove locks are installed on the chain surrounding the sculpture
Alternative nameLa Flamme de la Liberté
Nearby transitAlma-Marceau station (Line 9), Pont de l'Alma station (RER Line C), and buses 42, 63, 72, 80, 92, and Balabus
Current locationPlace Diana, near the northern end of Pont de l'Alma, 8th arrondissement of Paris, France
Current siteOverlooking the west entrance of the Alma tunnel
Former proposed locationPlace des États-Unis, 16th arrondissement of Paris

Creator

SculptorMarc Coutelier

Historical context

Restoration contributorsMétalliers Champenois and Gohard Studios
Original Statue of Liberty torch modificationIn 1919, Gutzon Borglum hollowed out and vitrified the torch so it could be illuminated from inside; it was later replaced by a solid gilded torch lit from outside
Concept originKevin McCarthy proposed making an exact replica of the flame as a sign of Franco-American friendship
Restoration year1986
Project supervisorJacques Graindorge, director of the French craft unions at the time
Gift purposeA token of thanks for the restoration of the Statue of Liberty completed three years earlier by French companies
CommemoratesThe centenary of the International Herald Tribune in Paris
DonorInternational Herald Tribune
Donation year1989
Purpose of donationTo mark the centenary of the International Herald Tribune's English-language publication in Paris (Paris 1887–1987)
Inauguration date10 May 1989
Inaugurated byJacques Chirac
Funding raisedAbout US$400,000

Iconography and meaning

SymbolismFranco-American friendship
Additional meaningWarm and respectful relations between France and the United States
Later significanceBecame an unofficial memorial to Diana, Princess of Wales, after her death in 1997 in the tunnel under Pont de l'Alma
Public useTourist attraction and informal memorial where people leave flowers, candles, posters, commemorative leaflets, photographs, wreaths, messages, and souvenirs
Anthropologist commentGuy Lesoeurs said that most people who come there think it was built for Diana
Public interpretationMany visitors think it was built for Diana

History and restoration

Current conditionStill visited; messages are regularly removed and the sculpture is cleaned
Site naming historyThe site was later officially named Place Diana in 2019; a planned renaming to Place Maria-Callas was canceled, and no street plaque indicates that name
Alternative memorial proposalAn official memorial for Diana was instead created at the Clos des Blancs-Manteaux public garden in the Marais