Leaning Virgin of Albert

Virgin Mary at the top of the Basilica in the French town of Albert. This landmark was hit by a shell on January 15, 1915, and slumped to a near-horizontal position. It was widely discussed that whoever made the statue fall would lose the war. The Leaning Virgin became an especially familiar image to the thousands of Allied soldiers who fought at the Battle of the Somme, many of whom passed through Albert, which was situated three miles from the front lines.