- Mémorial de Caen
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Coordinates: 49°06′54″N 0°13′49″E / 49.11509°N 0.23021°E
Le Mémorial de Caen
Mémorial de Caen EntranceEstablished 1989 Location Esplanade Eisenhower, BP 55026, 14050 Caen Cedex 4 Type peace museum,, war memorial Visitor figures 400,000 (2007) Public transit access no 2 bus (terminus) Website memorial-caen.fr
The Mémorial de Caen is a museum and war memorial in Caen, Normandy, France commemorating the Second World War and the Battle for Caen. The building and grounds are located in the northern suburbs of the city of Caen on the site of an old blockhouse. The architect was Jacques Millet and the original curator was Yves Degraine.The memorial is dedicated to the history of conflict in the 20th Century and particularly World War II. The museum was inaugurated on 6th June 1988 (the 44th anniversary of D day) by French President Francois Mitterrand. The original building deals primarily with World War II looking at the causes and course of the conflict.
The museum was subsequently extended:
- In 1991 a gallery dedicated to the Nobel Peace Prize was added
- Three memorial gardens, The American Garden, The British Garden and the Canadian Garden were dedicated to the three main allied nations involved in liberating France
- An extension focusing on the Cold War and the search for Peace was opened by President Jacques Chirac in 2002
References
- This article is a summary translation of the French Wikipedia Article
- page in English from Sacred Destinations
Categories:- Buildings and structures in Caen
- Museums in France
- Peace museums
- World War II memorials in France
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