FONTAINE SAINT MICHEL

SOUS LE REGNE DE NAPOLEON III EMPEREUR DES FRANCAIS CE MONUMENT A ETE ELEVE PAR LA VILLE DE PARIS
AN MDCCCLX

The fountain located in Saint-Michel Square was designed by Gabriel Davioud in 1860. Initially, the fountain was called the Sevastopol Fountain.
At first they wanted to put a statue of Napoleon Bonaparte in it, but the idea was abandoned, and the statue that was placed is of the Archangel Michael after whom the square is named.

The fountain is declared a historical heritage site of France

The fountain was photographed that day Click for a larger image Click for a larger image

The statue of the Archangel Michael subduing the devil was made by Francisque Joseph Duret
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The sculptures of the chimeras (a monster with the head of a lion, the body of a goat and a snake as a tail) were made by Henri Alfred Jacquemart
And on their bases appear the texts that were added later and indicate the battles fought by the French resistance forces in the campaign for the liberation of Paris:
L’AN MCMXLIV
DU 19 AU 25 AOUT APRES CINQUANTE MOIS D’OCCUPATION ALLEMANDE LE FEUPLE DE PARIS A L’ APPROCHE DES ARMEES LIBERATRICES SE SOULEVA CONTRE L’OPPRESSION.

[translation]
THE YEAR 1944
FROM AUGUST 19 TO 25 AFTER FIFTY MONTHS OF GERMAN OCCUPATION THE FEOPLE OF PARIS, AS THE LIBERATING ARMIES APPROACHED, RISE UP AGAINST THE OPPRESSION.
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A LA MEMOIRE
DES SOLDATS DES FORCES FRANÇAISES
DE L’INTERIEUR ET DES HABITANTS DES Ve ET VIe ARRONDISSEMENTS QUI SUR CES LIEUX
TROUVÈRENT LA MORT EN COMBATTANT.

[translation]
IN MEMORY
SOLDIERS OF THE FRENCH FORCES
FROM THE INTERIOR AND THE INHABITANTS OF THE 5th AND 6th DISTRICTS WHO ARE IN THESE PLACES
FOUND DEATH WHILE FIGHTING.
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At the bottom of the chimera statue you can see the name of the foundry of Eck et Durand
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Translation of the text on the sign:
UNDER THE REIGN OF NAPOLEON III EMPEROR OF THE FRENCH THIS MONUMENT WAS RAISED BY THE CITY OF PARIS
1860