War to the Destroyers

Statue of Victor Hugo in Besançon. Photo: TES.

The Victor Hugo House and the Musée du Temps present an exhibition dedicated to Victor Hugo (1802-1885) and his commitment to preserving cultural heritage. He wrote a pamphlet about this in 1832. Interest in the Middle Ages and its heritage was born in France at the beginning of the nineteenth century, at the beginning of the Romantic Period. Medieval monuments were previously seen primarily as remains of a barbaric era, good as building material for new projects. Victor Hugo was one of the first advocates for the preservation of this heritage and he declared war to the destroyers, a still topical theme.