Equestrian Statue of Henri IV

The Equestrian Statue of Henri IV stands at the western tip of the Île de la Cité, on the Pont Neuf, marking the spot where Paris's oldest surviving bridge meets the Seine. The bronze figure depicts the Bourbon king who reunited France after the Wars of Religion and issued the Edict of Nantes in 1598. The current statue, cast in 1818, replaced an earlier work destroyed during the Revolution; it was created by sculptor François-Frédéric Lemot and incorporates bronze from a statue of Napoleon melted down after Waterloo. The location places Henri IV at the geographical and historical centre of Paris, with views across the river to the Left Bank and the Right Bank alike.

The statue serves as a natural landmark on any tour of the Île de la Cité, the island that holds Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Gothic masterpiece of Sainte-Chapelle. Guided tours of the island that include entry to Sainte-Chapelle pass this monument, connecting the reign of Henri IV to the medieval and royal history that defines this part of the city.