Statue de Napoléon

The equestrian statue of Napoleon dominates the Place du Général-de-Gaulle in Rouen, standing directly in front of City Hall. Erected in 1865, the bronze work by Gabriel-Vital Dubray shows the emperor on horseback, while the pedestal was designed by Louis Desmarest. The monument's history is marked by political tension: during the Third Republic, there were plans to remove the statue or repurpose it, but these fell through for lack of funds. After a restoration in 2020, during which a treasure chamber containing coins was discovered in the pedestal, the city debated whether the monument should stay. A public survey ultimately came out in favor of keeping it, and in December 2021 the statue was designated a historic monument.