Alexander the Great statue, Thessaloniki, Bronze equestrian monument at Nea Paralia, Greece

The bronze statue of Alexander the Great on Bucephalus stands on the Thessaloniki waterfront next to the White Tower. The statue is 6 meters tall and weighs 4 tons; with its pedestal it reaches 11 meters. The pedestal is clad in dark marble from Melissokhori, and the surrounding area is paved with white marble from Veria. The complex measures 23 by 30 meters.

The bronze equestrian statue was erected in 1973 with funds raised by public subscription committees and inaugurated in 1974. It was sculpted by Evangelos Moustakas in his workshop at Pallini and cast at the Renzo Michelucci foundry in Pistoia, Italy. The city honours Alexander because Thessaloniki flourished during his reign.

The statue shows Alexander riding Bucephalus, the warhorse that accompanied him for 20 years of campaigns. Behind the rider stand a shield and spears bearing symbols: a serpent for wisdom, a Gorgon head for cunning, a lion for courage, an ox for diligence and a falcon for foresight. The monument is valued locally because the city flourished under Alexander's rule.

The statue stands along the city's waterfront and is easily reached on foot from the central area. Visiting in early morning or late afternoon hours provides the best light for viewing and taking photographs of the bronze figure.

Behind the statue stands a low wall with a bronze relief of the Battle of Issus, where Alexander routed Darius III; it shows 45 figures, with Alexander leading sarissa-armed Macedonian infantry. Two separate rows of shields and sarissas flank the monument: five to the west and three to the north, standing for the ordinary Macedonian soldiers of the campaign.