Roselyne Bachelot, the Minister of Culture, went on Monday January 17 to the restoration site of the obelisk in the Place de la Concorde, in Paris.
The opportunity, during a mini-press conference, to return to the importance of this monument and these works.
What does this obelisk of Luxor, Place de la Concorde, represent?
ROSELYNE BACHELOT.
It is such an important emblem of Paris and of France, it is important that we carry out this operation even before it is in danger.
It is a treasure to be preserved on an ongoing basis as pollution could seriously damage it.
With its 3,300 years, the obelisk of Luxor is the oldest monument in Paris.
This year 2022, we will celebrate the bicentenary of the discovery of the meaning of hieroglyphs by Champollion.
It was therefore the right time to launch this project.
This marks an undeniable love story between France and Egypt.
I add that this monument has not been plundered or stolen.
It is a gift made by the viceroy of Egypt who had offered the two obelisks which surround the portal of Luxor.
François Mitterrand had indicated that he would not claim the second, who is still there.
Why this restoration?
It is not a major degradation that led to this restoration, but the wish, after that of 1962 which had been organized by André Malraux, to restore its light, its original tone to this obelisk which has obviously suffered the pangs of pollution. , especially automotive.
This will allow us to find a much more pink color and to proceed with the restoration of the pyramidion, which adorns the summit, as well as the base and the step.
The operation will take place until May.
And in June, we can see in all its beauty the obelisk of Luxor, our obelisk of Concorde.
Is it totally financed by sponsorship?
Patronage of the Kärcher company which provides 1 million euros, or 95% of the total budget of the operation.
It is not with a water lance that we are going to restore our obelisk but with much finer techniques than those used in 1962, and which respect the integrity of this monument, fragile with all this hieroglyphic work.
I would add that a remarkable work to package the obelisk was found by the School of Fine Arts after a competition launched among young artists.
And it was Jonathan Sobel who chose to illustrate two Egyptians
(Ramses II and Mehemet Ali)
and two Frenchmen
(Charles X and Champollion)
to frame the work.
The obelisk will soon be at the heart of the events of the 2024 Olympics. Are you worried about the treatment that could be made of the site?
I'm not worried, all precautions are taken.
But I remind you that it is not the Olympics that caused the need for this work, it is the fact that it has been sixty years since the clean-up operations were carried out and above all the opportunity to celebrate this bicentenary of the discovery of the meaning of hieroglyphs.
Could the restoration of the square also be considered?
We have already restored the Hôtel de la Marine.
Loans, which have never been so important, made it possible, in 2021, to devote 1 billion euros to heritage.
This had never happened in the history of the ministry.
We will observe, whenever necessary, the restorations to be made.
