Equestrian statue of Napoléon III, Bronze equestrian memorial in Parco Sempione, Italy.

The equestrian statue of Napoleon III stands in Parco Sempione, combining bronze with a base of granite and syenite. The monument depicts the French leader mounted on horseback, creating a strong focal point within this open park setting.

Milan's municipal council commissioned the monument in 1873, two days after Napoleon III's death, to honour the French ally of 1859. Radicals opposed it, citing the deaths of Garibaldi's men at Mentana in 1867, and the statue long sat in the courtyard of the Palazzo del Senato. Barzaghi completed the equestrian model in 1879, it was cast in bronze in 1880, and the monument was only assembled in its present spot in 1927.

The monument's base lists the names of French soldiers who died in the Second Italian War of Independence. Milan commissioned it in 1873, two days after Napoleon III's death, when the city council recalled how he had been welcomed as a liberator after the victory at Magenta.

The monument is situated in the central area of Parco Sempione and is accessible from multiple park entrances. Visitors may find it helpful to combine a visit with other nearby attractions, including the Castello Sforzesco just adjacent to the park.

The monument honours not only Napoleon III but also the French army: the names of French soldiers who died in the Second Italian War of Independence are inscribed on the lower base. The equestrian model was finished by Barzaghi in 1879 and cast in bronze in 1880, but the statue long sat in the courtyard of the Palazzo del Senato before being mounted in the park in 1927.