The City of Paris is cleaning graffiti and posters off the Place de la Republique's Marianne statue, which has become the focal point for mourning, adorned with thousands of makeshift memorials as a tribute to those who died in the horrific series of terror attacks that the country has witnessed over the past two years.
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Adorned with flowers, candles and notes the Marianne pedestal has become a colourful, poignant memorial which people have used to show their condolences and support to the victims and their families. Parisians gathered at the square after the deadly attacks at the Charlie Hebdo satirical newspaper and a kosher supermarket in Paris in January 2015. Paris residents then paid tribute to the victims of the city's 13 November attacks, which claimed 130 lives, by laying flowers and decorating the monument.
City workers cleans the stone sculpture of 'Equality' at the pedestal of the Marianne monument at Place de la Republique in Paris, which had become a makeshift memorial in tribute to the victims of the recent attacks of the last two yearsPatrick Kobarik/ AFPCity worker cleans the stone sculpture of 'Equality'Patrick Kobarik/ AFPTwo city employees clean graffitis of the statue of Place de la RepubliqueThomas Samson/ AFPCity employees clean graffitis of the statue of Place de la Republique in ParisThomas Samson/ AFP
Parisian archivists had to select the last of the objects, drawings and documents related to the attacks before the cleaning commenced. The poignant tributes will be preserved in the city's archives and in the Carnavalet Museum, dedicated to the history of Paris. The cleaning of the makeshift memorial, which started earlier this month, is set to be completed by the end of the week.
Tributes to the victims of the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attacks are left on the Place de la Republique'Christopher Furlong/ Getty ImagesA statue is decroated with a pencil in a show of defiance as demonstrators gather in Place de la Republique prior to a mass unity rally to be held in Paris following the 7 January 2015 terrorist attacks on the offices of satirical newspaper Charlie HebdoChristopher Furlong/ Getty ImagesParisians light candles and lay tributes on the monument at Place de la Republique, the day after series deadly terrorist attacks in ParisChristopher Furlong/ Getty ImagesParisians light candles and lay tributes on the monument at Place de la Republique following a series deadly terrorist attacks in ParisChristopher Furlong/ Getty ImagesA man lights candles in tribute to the victims of the deadly attacks in ParisFlorian David/ AFPFlowers and tributes are left at the base of the Statue de Marianne at the Place de la RepubliqueChristopher Furlong/ Getty ImagesPeople observe a minute-silence at the Place de la RepubliqueChristopher Furlong/ Getty ImagesA miniature Eiffel tower is pictured at a makeshift memorial made up with flowers, candles and messages for the victims of the 13 November attacksKenzo Tribouillard/ AFPA French flag flutters over candles and flowers as people gather at Place de la Republique in ParisLoic Venance/ AFPThe bronze statue of Marianne at Place de la Republique in Paris, as people gather to pay tribute for the victims of the 13 November terror attacksLoic Venance/ AFPA small French flag on candle wax is placed on the Place de la Republique in Paris at a memorial for victims of the 13 November Paris attacksJoel Saget/ AFPA globe and roses on a makeshift memorial at Place de la Republique in ParisMiguel Medina/ AFPA placard reading 'Merci Charlie' is seen on a makeshift memorial on the place de la Republique, as France hold official ceremonies marking a year since a jihadist attack on the offices of Charlie HebdoEric Frederberg/ AFPRepublicans guards stand beside a wreath of flowers at the Statue of Marianne during a remembrance rally Yoan Valat/ AFPA woman places flowers on the monument of the Place de la Republique squareMatthieu Alexandre/ AFPPeople stand in front of the place de la Republique's monument in Paris, after priest Jacques Hamel was killed in the Normandy city of Saint-Etienne-du-RouvrayDenis Charlet/ AFP
