Monument to Human Rights

You are approaching the Monument to the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, a structure built in 1989 to mark the bicentennial of the French Revolution. Its designer, the Czech-born sculptor Ivan Theimer, drew inspiration from ancient Egyptian mastaba tombs to create a space for reflection on modern democratic ideals. The monument stands on the Champ de Mars, a location that served as a military training ground for centuries, including during the years when a young Napoleon Bonaparte studied at the nearby military academy. By placing this tribute to human rights on a former site of martial maneuvers, the city sought to permanently ground the memory of revolutionary political progress in this historic public park.