Designed by the famous modern artist Constantin Brancusi, the 98-foot Endless Column and its related sculpture ensemble, including the Table of Silence and Gate of the Kiss, were built as a memorial to those who died defending the town of Târgu-Jiu, Romania from the Germans during World War I. Beginning in 1998, WMF In partnership with the World Bank and the Government of Romania undertook conservation of the deteriorated column and development of a plan to restore the ensemble and integrate the work better with the surrounding landscape. The Endless Column was disassembled, cleaned, restored, and re-erected in December 2000. Attention then turned to the stone sculpture and its environment, which was surveyed and restored as much as possible to its original appearance. Today, the Endless Column, the Gate of the Kiss, and the Table of Silence are recognized as great works of twentieth-century outdoor sculpture.
One of the modules of the Endless Column, during conservation, being prepared for the final hand-polishing phase, c2000
Endless Column, during conservation, with scaffolding, 1997
Endless Column module detail, post conservation, 2001
Endless Column module detail, post conservation, 2001
Endless Column from distance, 2001
Gate of the Kiss, before conservation, looking down the Avenue of Heroes and towards the Endless Column, 2001
Gate of the Kiss during conservation, 2000
Gate of the Kiss post-conservation, 2006
Table of Silence before conservation, 1997
Endless Column at night, 2005
