After having been forced to leave its pedestal on Place Guillaume II in 2022 due to renovation works on the square and the underground car park, the ‘Renert’ monument has now returned to its rightful place. The fox statue from Michel Rodange’s famous fable was itself in rough shape and has therefore been restored over the past couple of months.
Luxembourg City Mayor Lydie Polfer unveiled the statue by reciting the first stanza of the fable: “Et war eemol ëm d’Péngschten, d’stoung alles an der Bléi, an d’Villercher déi sangen, hir Lidder, spéit a fréi.” In English, this roughly translates as follows: “At the time of Pentecost, the whole nature was blooming, and all the birds were singing their songs from dawn to dusk.”
According to project manager Claude Slawinsky, the dismantling of the monument in 2022 lasted six weeks, followed by eight months of restoration in the workshop before each element was mounted back: "[Putting the statue back into place] is the final touch, like the cherry on the cake. After months and months of hard work, unveiling the monument is quite special. ... To see the little fox now back in its place above the fountain is truly a great joy and a pleasure, showing a job well done.”
The fountain is now functional again and providing drinking water. The total cost of the restoration project amounts to €550,000. For Slawinsky, it was indeed a prestigious project: “We are in the heart of Luxembourg City, right next to the town hall, right under the supervision of the mayor, so to speak. ... It’s not every day you get the chance to work on Place Guillaume, especially on a monument like this one by Michel Rodange.”
