Denkmal

The Prinz-Albert-Denkmal stands in the heart of Coburg’s market square. It honours Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, husband of Queen Victoria, who was born in the town in 1819 and died in 1861. The monument was commissioned by the queen and designed by sculptor William Theed the Younger in the classical style. It was unveiled on 26 August 1865 during Victoria’s fifth visit to Coburg, with the royal family present. The bronze statue shows Prince Albert in full ceremonial dress as a Knight of the Order of the Garter. His left hand rests on his hip, holding a staff, while his right hand carries the plan for the Crystal Palace of the 1851 Great Exhibition, which he organised. The inscription on his cloak reads ‘Honni soit qui mal y pense.’ The figure stands on a stone pedestal bearing biographical details and the date of its erection. Visitors find the statue facing the town hall, its flowing robes and heavy chain clearly visible. The back of the pedestal carries a biblical quotation about the memory of the just. The market square around it remains a busy civic space, linking the monument to the town’s daily life.