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Origin and history

The statue of Napoleon I in Bastia is a work by Florentine sculptor Lorenzo Bartolini. Initially commissioned by Elisa Bonaparte, Napoleon's sister, to decorate her residence in Tuscany, the project was abandoned. In 1849, one year before his death, Bartolini proposed the statue to the city of Bastia. The advent of Napoleon III facilitated its acquisition, and it was inaugurated on 15 June 1854 in Saint Nicholas Square, the historic heart of the city.

The statue depicts Napoleon with the attributes of Jupiter, although it is often said that he is represented as a Roman emperor. It is part of a monumental ensemble of the square, which also includes a monument to the dead and a music kiosk. The Place Saint-Nicolas, built in the 18th century, became an emblematic place of Bastia, marked by major urban transformations, such as the filling of Fangu's canals at the end of the 19th century.

The square, lined with centuries-old palm trees and remarkable buildings such as the palazzi damericani, is a place of gathering and memory. The statue of Napoleon, by its history and symbolism, reinforces the link between Bastia and the imperial heritage. It also shows the cultural exchanges between Corsica and Italy, via the work of Bartolini, and the importance of the Bonaparte family in local history.

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