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Since the 21st century, the statue has aroused many controversies as to its presence in the centre of
Brussels since the figure of Leopold II is no longer as admired and respected as at the time of its construction. Indeed, it is today mainly associated with
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and was inaugurated on 15 November 1926, the feast day of the dynasty, but also the patronal feast of
Leopold II. This ceremony was marked by the presence of the entire
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and the press launched an appeal for anyone who wanted to contribute to erecting the statue. The initiative was successful, in which even
Leopold's successor,
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in 1914, but it was not finalised until 1926 by the architect François
Malfait, when it was inaugurated in honour of the king.
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in 2008. In June 2020, a petition for its removal was signed over 45,000 times within several days. A majority in the
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The statue has been vandalised several times with red and white paint, including by the writer and activist
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and it is necessary to wait until the end of the war for the work to be redesigned by the sculptor
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wants to either recontextualise or remove all
Leopold II statues in Brussels, including this one.
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The
Scramble for Africa: the White Man's Conquest of the Dark Continent from 1876 to 1912
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292:), and a few tens of metres from the Royal Stables of Brussels. It is also close to
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This amount is roughly equivalent to €2.5 million in 2020 when taking into account
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which, for its part, provided the raw material. The bronze statue was cast by the
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Inauguration of the equestrian statue of
Leopold II on 15 November 1926
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816:(in French). Vol. 1C: Pentagone N-Z. Liège: Pierre Mardaga. 1994.
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768:"Brusselse meerderheid vraagt dekolonisering van openbare ruimte"
740:"Steeds meer protest in België tegen standbeelden Leopold II"
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The statue's construction, however, was delayed due to the
799:
Loze, Pierre; Vautier, Dominique; Vestre, Marina (1990).
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LĂ©opold II. Les monuments de
Bruxelles et de LĂ©opoldville
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and the authorities who came in procession to the scene.
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with the help of the architect François
Malfait and the
803:(in French). Brussels: Eiffel Editions - CFC Éditions.
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Equestrian statue of
Leopold II of Belgium (Brussels)
684:"Congo: Histoire blanche, voix noires, zones grises"
592:(in French), Brussels, Vromant & Co, s.d., p. 5.
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810:Le Patrimoine monumental de la Belgique: Bruxelles
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665:. New York: Cambridge University Press. p. 41.
714:"De schuld in de onschuld van een straatnaam"
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801:Guide de Bruxelles XIXème et Art Nouveau
497:List of statues of Leopold II of Belgium
644:(13th ed.). London: Abacus. pp. 253–5.
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517:Belgium in the long nineteenth century
27:Equestrian statue in Brussels, Belgium
712:Siebe Jonckheere (22 November 2019).
629:LĂ©opold II. Les monuments..., op.cit.
616:LĂ©opold II. Les monuments..., op.cit.
603:LĂ©opold II. Les monuments..., op.cit.
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850:Buildings and structures in Brussels
880:Monuments and memorials in Belgium
388:Compagnie des Bronzes de Bruxelles
150:, Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium
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241:. It was created by the sculptor
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663:Belgium and the Congo, 1885-1980
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304:Brussels-Central railway station
855:Tourist attractions in Brussels
565:Loze, Vautier & Vestre 1990
417:sovereignty from 1885 to 1908.
220:Ruiterstandbeeld van Leopold II
204:equestrian statue of Leopold II
59:Ruiterstandbeeld van Leopold II
33:Equestrian statue of Leopold II
18:Equestrian Statue of Leopold II
353:died in 1909, and as for many
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865:Equestrian statues in Belgium
693:(in French). 12 November 2008
383:Union Minière du Haut-Katanga
212:Statue Ă©questre de LĂ©opold II
44:Statue Ă©questre de LĂ©opold II
875:Bronze sculptures in Belgium
260:, to the south-east of the
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718:Krant van West-Vlaanderen
640:Pakenham, Thomas (1992).
302:. This area is served by
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661:Vanthemsche, G. (2012).
405:Belgian colonial history
363:Belgian official journal
262:Royal Palace of Brussels
233:, Belgium, in memory of
776:(in Dutch). 4 June 2020
748:(in Dutch). 5 June 2020
361:. On 31 May 1914, the
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355:Kings of the Belgians
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836:at Wikimedia Commons
392:Belgian royal family
306:, as well as by the
239:King of the Belgians
176:Completion date
115:50.84056°N 4.36444°E
870:Statues of monarchs
507:History of Brussels
426:Brussels Parliament
422:Théophile de Giraud
279:Boulevard du RĂ©gent
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512:Culture of Belgium
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161:, François Malfait
832:Media related to
671:978-0-521-19421-1
650:978-0-349-10449-2
440:Equestrian statue
227:equestrian statue
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191:Dedicated to
170:Equestrian statue
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229:erected in
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844:Categories
720:(in Dutch)
523:References
326:(on lines
314:(on lines
290:Small Ring
285:Regentlaan
276:joins the
267:Rue Ducale
257:Troonplein
142:Troonplein
103:50°50′26″N
84:Statue of
552:Citations
542:inflation
528:Footnotes
312:Parc/Park
310:stations
237:, second
106:4°21′52″E
631:, p. 29.
618:, p. 10.
475:See also
468:Pedestal
414:de facto
407:and the
231:Brussels
155:Designer
131:Location
697:1 March
605:, p. 5.
338:History
300:Ixelles
295:Matongé
222:) is a
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322:) and
224:bronze
208:French
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308:metro
216:Dutch
146:1000
66:Dutch
782:2020
754:2020
726:2020
699:2020
667:ISBN
646:ISBN
330:and
318:and
202:The
183:1926
179:1926
166:Type
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