Statue of Charlemagne (Liège)

Louis Jehotte suggested the idea of the monument to the city of Liège in 1855 based on his lifelong interest on Charlemagne, about whom he would later coauthor an essay jointly with his friend André van Hasselt, published in 1880.

But his effort was complicated by uncertainty about the exact location of Charlemagne's birthplace, with Liège being only one of the contenders.

The monument was inaugurated on 26 July 1868 in the presence of Charles de Luesemans [fr], Governor of the Liège Province.

[3] Charlemagne is represented wearing a chlamys and tunic, with a short sword on his side, and extending his arm in a gesture of friendship and protection towards France.

This choice of depicted ancestors reflects Jehotte's focus on the branch of Charlemagne's family that originated in Liège and its neighborhood.