20의 베리외가지 명소 & 주요 장소

This stone statue of Napoleon I , sculpted by Georges Thurotte in 1974, commemorates the victory of the French armies at Craonne against the Russian and Prussian armies of General Blücher on March 7, 1814 . It was built on the site of the Vauclair mill which served as an observation post during this battle...

This stone statue of Napoleon I, sculpted by Georges THUROTTE, commemorates the victory of the French armies at Craonne against the Russian and Prussian armies of General Blücher on March 7, 1814, which left 12,000 dead (7,000 French and 5,000 Russians, whose mass graves were scattered during the fighting of the First World War. Placed high on a mound and built on the former site of the Moulin de Vauclerc, which served as an observatory for the emperor, the limestone statue represents the Emperor scanning the horizon in a dignified position.

In 1924, this memorial was erected in memory of the 22 soldiers and 12 civilians from Guignicourt who died during the First World War. The monument, located near the church, shows in relief a peasant couple mourning at a grave – a rare human and modest image rather than a classic military symbol. It recalls the deep suffering that the war left in this hard-hit municipality.

This church, built between the 11th and 13th centuries, is a fine example of transitional architecture between Romanesque and Gothic. It was built on the site of an earlier wooden church and possibly even a Gallo-Roman sanctuary. The construction was partly financed by the Abbey of Saint-Hubert (Belgium), which owned land in the region. The church has been protected as a historical monument since 1921.

On the eastern edge of the Chemin des Dames plateau lies the Ferme d’Hurtebise, a place that played a crucial role during both the Napoleonic Wars and the First World War. In 1814, it was the scene of the Battle of Craonne, and exactly a century later it again became a strategic junction in the struggle between French and German troops. From September 1914 onwards, fierce fighting took place here. The farm overlooked the Ailette and Aisne valleys, making it a fiercely contested observation post. French units, including Zouaves and the 12th and 49th Infantry Regiments, tried to hold or retake the farm, often with heavy losses. The family that owned the farm sheltered in the cellar for days while the building was under fire. After months of fighting and bombardment, the farm was reduced to ruins, crisscrossed by trenches. Today the site is a symbol of resistance and sacrifice, and is part of the Chemin des Dames memorial landscape.

Beautiful church with a World War I memorial in front of it

A remarkable remnant of what was once a large and important abbey. Caesar, Napoleon and German troops are said to have passed through this area during the First World War.

This abbey, which was founded in 1134 by St. Bernard, was severely damaged in a bombardment in 1917. The best preserved buildings are the pantry, the refectory of the lay brothers, the chapter house and the monks' hall. The foundations of the abbey church and the inn are still visible. Next to the garden with medicinal plants there is an exhibition space. Surrounding it is the monastic forest of Vauvelair, which covers 1000 hectares.