Constantine Emperor's statue, Bronze statue at Basilica of San Lorenzo, Milan, Italy

The bronze statue of Constantine I stands on the forecourt of the Basilica of San Lorenzo Maggiore, its back turned to the church. It was cast in 1937 after the 4th-century original kept in the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano in Rome. The emperor is shown upright, holding a spear and a globe.

The bronze was cast in 1937 after the 4th-century original kept in the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano in Rome. It commemorates Constantine I, who in 313 issued the Edict of Milan, granting Christians freedom of worship while Milan was the capital of the Western Roman Empire.

The bronze is a 1937 cast taken from the 4th-century original kept in San Giovanni in Laterano in Rome. Its placement at San Lorenzo, with the statue's back to the basilica, recalls Constantine's vision of the cross before the Battle of Ponte Milvio. A second statue of the emperor stands in front of Santa Croce church in the Acquabella district.

The statue stands directly before the Basilica of San Lorenzo, which sits centrally in Milan's historical quarter and is easy to reach. Visitors should note that the plaza can be quite crowded during the day, and the best time for a quieter visit is early morning or late afternoon.

The bronze was cast in 1937 from the model of the 4th-century original kept in San Giovanni in Laterano in Rome. Milan holds a second statue of Constantine, in front of Santa Croce in the Acquabella district, and this one on the sagrato of San Lorenzo is the third and last in Italy.