Liberation Square - St. Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands
Posted by: 
dtrebilc
N 49° 10.958 W 002° 06.527
30U E 564946 N 5448140
This square was created in 1995 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the day that the island of Jersey was liberated from German occupation during World War II.
Waymark Code: WMM46Y
Location: Jersey
Date Posted: 07/18/2014
Views: 11
The site is next to the wharves and marinas of St. Helier and used to be part of the working port. The 50th Anniversary also coincided with a time of decline in the port and so the area was renovated to provide an open public plaza.
The square stands in front of the old railway terminus building, which has now been converted into retail and restaurant units.
The main focus of the square in front of the old terminus is a large statue showing a British soldier raising a flag to mark the liberation. It also shows a number of local families joining in the celebrations. This statue, designed to allow interaction with people forms a central point in the square and is regularly used as a meeting place.
The rest of the square is open plan with plenty of seating.
A plaque in the centre of the square names the square and gives a history and description of it.
AT THIS PLACE ON 9th MAY 1945, ADVANCED PARTIES FROM THE ROYAL NAVY AND
THE BRITISH ARMY LIBERATED JERSEY FROM NEARLY FIVE YEARS OF OCCUPATION
BY THE GERMAN FORCES. THEY AND THE RETURN OF THE BRITISH FLAG WERE
GREETED BY THOUSANDS OF ISLANDERS WITH RELIEF, JOY AND GRATITUDE.
ON THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF THAT DAY, THE STATES AND PEOPLE OF JERSEY
DEDICATE THIS LIBERATION SQUARE TO COMMEMORATE THAT HISTORIC EVENT
AND ALL THOSE WHOSE EFFORTS AND SACRIFICES MADE THIS POSSIBLE.
THE SCULPTURE BY PHILIP JACKSON FRBS WAS COMMISSIONED BY THE JERSEY
PUBLIC SCULPTURE TRUST AND UNVEILED BY HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS
THE PRINCE OF WALES ON 9TH MAY 1995.
THE DESIGN OF THE SQUARE INCLUDES A SIGNIFICANT DEGREE OF SYMBOLISM
WHICH CAN BE EXPLAINED AS FOLLOWS -
EACH CIRCLE HAS A FUNCTION RELATING TO THE SCULPTURE;
THE FOUNTAIN, THE COMPASS, THE FLAGPOLES AND THE
TIME CAPSULE.
THE CIRCULAR AND CURVELINEAR FORMS REPRESENT
FREE THOUGHT AND LIBERATION.
THE PLINTH OF THE SCULPTURE REPRESENTS THE ISLAND;
THE SCULPTURE REPRESENTS THE PEOPLE; THE MOAT
REPRESENTS THE SEA AND THE TWELVE FOUNTAINS
REPRESENT THE PARISHES OF THE ISLAND.
THE COMPASS ROSE SIGNIFIES THAT JERSEY IS PART OF
A LARGER GLOBAL COMMUNITY. WHILST REJOICING IN ITS
OWN LIBERATION IN 1945 AND PEACE DURING THE
SUBSEQUENT 50 YEARS, JERSEY LOOKS OUTWARD IN THE
HOPE THAT THE PEACE AND FREEDOM WHICH IT ENJOYS
WILL ONE DAY EXTEND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.