Monument of Gratitude to France, Belgrade

The Monument of Gratitude to France, located in Belgrade's Veliki Kalemegdan Park, stands as a significant tribute to the enduring Franco-Serbian alliance formed during the First World War. Unveiled on November 11, 1930-the 12th anniversary of the Armistice that ended the war-this monument was revealed in the presence of Serbia's King Alexander and Queen Maria, alongside other dignitaries including representatives from the French government, Serbian war veterans, and a large public gathering.

The monument was one of the earliest public sculptures that positively depicted another nation on Serbian soil, marking it as an important cultural and historical milestone. In recognition of its significance, it was declared a cultural monument in 1965 and elevated to a cultural monument of great importance in 1983.

Crafted by the renowned Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović, the monument was meticulously assembled from fourteen bronze pieces cast using the lost wax technique at the Art Foundry of the Academy of Fine Arts. These pieces formed two halves that were later joined on-site. The sculpture, standing over four meters high on a seven-meter pedestal made from Brač marble, portrays an allegorical female figure embodying France, depicted as rushing to aid Serbia. This figure exemplifies qualities like energy, leadership, courage, and faith, hallmarks of Meštrović's expressive style.

The front of the monument bears the inscription “A la France” along with the year of its erection, while the back states, “We love France as she loved us 1914–1918.” Around the base, narrative reliefs, crafted by sculptors Frano Kršinić, Antun Augustinčić, Grga Antunac, Šime Dujmić, and Orlandini under Meštrović's guidance, enrich the pedestal with scenes that evoke shared experiences of Serbian and French soldiers, particularly on the Salonika front.