Year 4: Pop Quiz #1 (Answers)

A few days ago, we asked you to identify (a) the column pictured below and (b) the dude standing on top of the column.

The generally accepted answers are (a) the Vendôme Column and (b) Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.

Congratulations to friend and blog reader Melinda for being the first to correctly answer the questions.  Melinda earned 150 points and holds first place.  

A close second was Greg's brother Mike.  Better luck next time, Mike.

The Vendôme Column:  In 1810, Napoleon erected a triumphal column in the center of the Place Vendôme, a large square located a couple of blocks from our apartment.  The column celebrates Napoleon's 1805 victory at Austerlitz against the Russian and Austrian imperial armies.  The column is modeled on Trajan's Column in Rome (pictured below).  Like Trajan's Column, the Vendôme Column depicts a series of military scenes spiraling upward to the top, where Napoleon stands triumphant.

Trajan's Column in Rome

The Napoleon statue was torn down shortly after Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo and was later restored.  Then entire column (with the statue) was again torn down decades later, but was restored in 1874 and remains standing.  

Honorable Mention:  The best answer we received comes from friend Jean-Charles, a long-time Parisian:  

"Who is the  dude on the column, I must tell you that I found the answer: It’s very simple. During the great days of my business time my own office was 5 rue de Castiglione -the street leading to the Vendôme square. So the dude is probably me!!!"

Who knew?