La Défense de Paris

Among the towers of the business district, La Défense de Paris immediately catches the eye. Indeed, the district owes its name to this bronze statue created in 1883 by sculptor Louis-Ernest Barrias. A jury singled him out from around a hundred competitors, including Gustave Doré and Auguste Rodin. Erected in tribute to the victims of the Franco-German war of 1870, the monument depicts a woman who personifies Paris and a young soldier representing the army, while a little girl symbolises the civilian population. After several moves, the statue is now located on the Esplanade de la Défense.