David J.
Yelp
The church of Notre Dame of Brébières in Albert features in many photographs of the First World War, due to its famous 'leaning Virgin'.
Built between 1885-1895, the basilica was constructed to house the famous 14th-century image of the Virgin Mary, from which the church takes its name, and accommodate the ever more numerous pilgrims coming to venerate the statue. The architect, Edmond Duthoit, designed a spectacular building of red brick and local stone in the Moorish style, with a complex and elaborate interior decorative scheme, featuring frescoes, mosaics and coloured marbles. The focus of the exterior design was a tower 62m high, surmounted by a gilded statue of the Virgin presenting Christ to the world, designed by the sculptor Albert Roze.
Unfortunately, Albert was in the centre of hostilities from 1915 until 1918, and the town suffered hugely during the bombardments. In 1915, the basilica was hit by a German shell: this dislodged the statue, which leaned precariously to a near-horzontal position - but it did not fall. It became famous amongst soldiers on both sides of the conflict, inspiring a legend that whichever side caused the statue of the 'Leaning Virgin' to fall, would lose the war.
In 1918, Albert was overrun by the German 'Spring offensive', and the basilica once again became the target of attack, as the British sought to prevent the tower from being used as a look-out post. It was a British shell which finally destroyed the tower and the statue in April 1918: the remains of the statue were irrecoverable amongst the rubble.
Huge efforts were made after the war to restore the church, with the architect's son, Edouard Duthoit, using his father's original designs. An exact replica of Roze's statue was also constructed, and re-erected, with great ceremony, in 1931. It stands out for miles across the plain of the High Somme as a distinctive landmark, and completely dominates the central square of the town. Although the interior has suffered from water damage, the decorative scheme is largely intact and it is an impressive interior space.
The statue of the Virgin is once again a place of pilgrimage, alongside those coming to pay their respects to those lost on both sides of the war which made it famous in the 20th Century.
