Seventeen meters tall it stands. The Pyramide de Fontenoy. A seemingly simple obelisk. Yet its story is far from simple. It is more than just stone. It is a monument to a king. To a battle. To a time long past.
Before you stands the Pyramide de Fontenoy. This isn’t just any pyramid. It’s an obelisk. It was erected in 1750. King Louis XV himself inspired its creation. He stayed at the nearby Abbey of Saint-Calixte in Cysoing. This was before the pivotal Battle of Fontenoy. The French victory there cemented the obelisk’s significance.
The Pyramide de Fontenoy commemorates this royal sojourn. It also celebrates a great French triumph. The obelisk is crafted from the esteemed blue stone of the Basècles quarries. At the time these were considered the finest in Hainaut. The design came from Father Charles Wastelain a Jesuit priest from Lille. Nicolas Desmoulain the sculptor masterfully brought the design to life.
Originally eight radiating avenues spread from the obelisk. They formed a star-shaped pattern. Imagine a geometrically perfect star in the park of the former Saint-Calixte Abbey. Pictures from the time show hedges of hornbeam enhancing the park’s beauty. Canon François-Joseph Thery de Gricourt documented the scene. He created drawings after the obelisk had been standing for about twenty years.
The Pyramide de Fontenoy wasn’t just built and forgotten. Charles Marteau led a restoration project in 1888. This ensured the monument’s survival. This obelisk still stands. A testament to its creators the king it honors and the battle it celebrates. It is a symbol of history. It remains a silent guardian of a significant moment in French history. Look closely. The details whisper tales of kings battles and enduring monuments. The Pyramide de Fontenoy is a powerful legacy.