Zouave Statue
The Zouave statue is the most famous feature of the Alma Bridge. This bridge, which spans the River Seine between the Eiffel Tower and the Hôtel des Invalides, was inaugurated by Napoleon III in 1856.
The Zouave statue, perched atop its single pillar, is one of the most photographed sculptures in Paris. The Zouave regiment participated in the Battle of Alma on September 20, 1854, during the Crimean War, which resulted in a victory for France, England, Piedmont, and the Ottoman Empire over Russia.
Originally, each of the bridge’s four pillars was adorned with a statue representing a regiment that fought in the Crimean War. Arnaud sculpted the infantryman and the artilleryman, while Diebolt sculpted the grenadier and the famous Zouave.
The Alma Bridge was rebuilt in 1974, but it was decided that its structure was too narrow and unstable to support four statues. Three were therefore moved, except the Zouave, which was placed on the single pier of the new bridge.
André-Louis Gody served as model for the Zouave statue
André-Louis Gody (1828-1896) was born in Gravelines, in northern France, and gained considerable fame when he was chosen as the model for the Zouave statue.
The statue indeed serves as an informal marker for measuring the rising waters of the Seine. Their level is considered alarming when the water reaches the feet of the statue.
The year 1910 remains famous for the “flood of the 20th century,” when the waters rose 8.62 metres, reaching the statue’s shoulders.
Paris experienced other significant floods in 1924 (7.30 metres), 1955 (7.12 metres), and 2001, when the water rose 5 metres and reached the statue’s knees.
On December 27, 2010, the Seine overflowed its banks once again, rising 3.78 metres to the foot of the statue, causing significant disruptions, including the closure of the riverbanks and the metro. More recent floods occurred on June 4, 2016, when the Seine reached a peak of 6.10 metres, and on January 27, 2018, when the river level rose to 5.72 metres.
Directions: 8th district
Metro: Alma-Marceau on Line 9
Coordinates: Lat 48.863816 – Long 2.302013
Photo via Wikimedia Commons: Floods of 1924 Photo Meurisse Public domain
