March of the Volunteers of 1792 (La Marseillaise)

Rude’s relief on the right socle of the east side of the monument facing the city, shows the army of volunteers that marched out of Marseille on July 5 1792 to defend the revolution against counter-revolutionary forces. As they marched through France, they sang the song composed by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle in Strasbourg on April 26. They called it the Marseillaise, and in 1879 it became the French national anthem. Under the same label, Rude’s relief gained worldwide fame.

Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 2 minutes):

Claude-Joseph Rouget de L’Isle: Marsellaise, French national anthem