French-American Friendship

Visitors to the Statue of Liberty in New York harbor may have noted the name of the designer, Auguste Bartholdi. But how many know anything more about him?
You can find out in Alsace, where you can visit the other Statue of Liberty. The medieval city of Colmar, his birthplace, is in the center of the Alsace valley in northeast France. After his native Alsace was taken over by Germany in 1871 he understood what it meant to have liberty taken away.

On July 4, 2004, Colmar inaugurated its own Lady Liberty, a 12-meter-high copy of the original, with the hope that this symbol of French and American friendship will continue to bring the two countries together.
To find the statue, drive north on the Avenue d'Alsace (N442) towards Strasbourg. The Bartholdi Museum (Musee Bartholdi) in Colmar is located at 30, Rue des Marchands:
011-33-3-89-41-90-60; www.musee-bartholdi.com

Images and Text copyright Vivienne Mackie, 2005.
No reproduction, electronic, written or otherwise, without prior written consent.

Back to France Travel Articles...