Angels of victory
Gold is a noble, eternal and, at the same time, strikingly beautiful metal. There are various golden statues and monuments dedicated to memorable events in every country, symbolizing victory, glory and prosperity of the nation. Some monuments are decorated with golden statues of angels.
The July Column (French: Colonne de Juillet) in Paris – a monumental column in the center of the Place de la Bastille, the 4th arrondissement of Paris. The monument serves as a tribute to those who died during the Revolution of 1830, when King Charles X of France was dethroned.
Ten years later, King Louis-Philippe I ordered to build a memorial on the abandoned square to commemorate the revolutionaries. The project was carried out by the architect Jean-Antoine Alavoine. The opening ceremony of the July Column took place in 1840.
In the photo: the monument is 80 meters high.
The top of the column is decorated with the “Spirit of Freedom” – a gilded statue by French sculptor Auguste Dumont.
In the photo: the golden-winged angel holds a burning torch in the right hand, in the left hand – a broken chain, symbolizing the shackles of the despotic power of Charles X.
The Victory Column (German: Siegessäule) is a monument erected in Berlin on the central square of the Great Tiergarten park in 1864-1873 by the order of Emperor William I, commemorating the military achievements of Prussia.
In the XIX century, during the war, Prussia defeated Austria, France and Denmark. The government of the country decided to erect a magnificent monument symbolizing the military power of the state.
In the photo: the column, designed by German architect Heinrich Strack, stands on a pedestal of red granite and sandstone.
In the photo: the base of the monument is covered with a gilded mosaic depicting battle scenes.
The upper fourth segment of the column, which visually increases its height by 7 meters, was completed in 1939 by the order of Adolf Hitler.
At the top of the 67-meter monument, there's a gilded statue of Victoria, made by German sculptor Friedrich Drake. Locals call the sculpture "Goldelse".
In the photo: a sculpture, which was made in Berlin's foundries, is 8 meters high and weighs 35 tons.
The Victory Column is one of the main landmarks in Berlin that is protected by the state as a monument of architecture.
The Monument of Independence (Spanish: Monumento a la Independencia) is a monument erected in 1910 on the major thoroughfare of Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City, commemorating the centennial of the beginning of Mexico's War of Independence.
In the photo: the symbol of victory represents a 36-meter stone column.
The monument is set on a large square pedestal, decorated with bronze figures of a child and a lion. Marble sculptures of war heroes are featured on the base of the monument.
In the photo: a golden plate with the inscription reading “The Nation to the Heroes of Independence” is at the center of the pedestal.
There is a 7-meter high statue of the Greek goddess of Victory (Nike) crowning the column. The winged sculpture, which the locals call the “Angel of Independence”, is made of bronze and coated with 24K gold.
In the photo: Nike holds a laurel wreath in her right hand – a symbol of glory and victory, in the left hand – a broken chain, symbolizing freedom and independence.
In 1957, the Monument of Independence was hit by an earthquake. The golden sculpture fell from the monument and splintered into several pieces. The "Angel of Victory" was reconstructed within a year. In the autumn of 1958, the modernized statue was put back on top of the column.
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