Russian Naval Base Commemorative Busts - Villefranche-sur-Mer, France
Posted by: 
dtrebilc
N 43° 42.118 E 007° 18.694
32T E 363954 N 4840157
These three bronze statues were donated by the Naval base of St. Petersbourg in Russia to the town of Vilefranch-sur-Mer in 1990 to commemorate the time when there was a Russian Naval Base in the town.
Waymark Code: WMWDH8
Location: Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
Date Posted: 08/19/2017
Views: 2
In 1857 this part of the coast of what is now France was a territory of Sardinia. King Victor Emmanuel II of Sardinia visited Empress Dowager Alexandra Fyodorovna of Russia who was staying in Nice further along the coast.
Russia had recently lost some of her own territory after defeat in the Crimean War and no longer had access to the Mediterranean Sea by way of the Bosphorus. After negotiations King Victor Emmanuel II allowed Russia to build a naval base at Villefranche-sur-mer.
This part of the coast later became part of France in 1860 but Napoleon III allowed the base to remain and it remained there until the end of the 1870s.
The three busts are of naval leaders that were in the naval base at some time.
FEDOR OUCHAKOV
1745 1817
AMIRAL DE LA MARINE RUSSE
Le don de L'assemblee Navale de Saint-Petersbourg
a la ville de VILLEFRANCHE-SUR-MER
CONTE FEDOR ORLOV
1741 1796
GENERAL EN CHEF
Le don de L'assemblee Navale de Saint-Petersbourg
a la ville de VILLEFRANCHE-SUR-MER
PRINCE ALEXEI ORLOV
1737 1808
AMIRAL, GENERAL-ADJUDANT DE SA MAJESTE
Le don de L'assemblee Navale de Saint-Petersbourg
a la ville de VILLEFRANCHE-SUR-MER