Friedrich III. Denkmal, Equestrian monument in Kaiserplatz, Aachen, Germany

The Friedrich III Memorial is a bronze equestrian statue on a stone pedestal, depicting Emperor Frederick III in military uniform. The sculpture stands on Kaiserplatz in central Aachen and shows the ruler in realistic form seated on his horse.

The square was renamed Kaiserplatz in 1879, before the monument existed. Berlin sculptor Hugo Lederer created the bronze equestrian statue, which Kaiser Wilhelm II inaugurated on 18 October 1911. The pedestal was badly damaged in the Second World War; the statue got a new base in 1960, and in 2013 it was moved seven metres to a new pedestal during construction of the Aquis Plaza.

The monument displays an emperor in armor on horseback, reflecting the reverence for imperial power that was widespread in Germany around 1910. You can see how important the memory of Prussian rule was to the city's identity.

The monument sits directly on Kaiserplatz, where several bus stops and train connections are easily accessible. From here you can walk on foot to the shopping district or other main sights in the center.

The bronze figure supports itself on the pedestal by its own weight; only a stone slab joins the two, and iron anchors once fixed the horse's hooves. During the Aquis Plaza works the statue was lifted off on 10 June 2013 and set back on 21 August 2013, seven metres from its old spot.