Statue Massena, Nice

The Statue Massena is a prominent landmark in Nice and is included in the Paillon Promenade (Promenade du Paillon). It was created by the French sculptor Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse. The bronze statue depicts Marshal André Masséna during the battle of Essling, on the Danube. Masséna is standing in his full uniform of a Marshal of France, bareheaded, with his right foot on a cannon thrown to the ground. He makes an imperative gesture with his right hand and squeezes the hilt of his sword with his left hand.

The statue's base features several bronze sculptures, including a young woman personifying Victory or History, holding a saber in her left hand and engraving Masséna's name on a medallion with her right hand. On the left side, a bronze bas-relief represents Masséna on horseback during the Battle of Zurich, and on the right, a second bas-relief represents the Marshal during the siege of Genoa.

The statue was inaugurated on August 15, 1869, which was Saint Napoleon Day, a national holiday of the Second Empire, and the year of the centenary of the birth of Napoleon I. The monument signifies Nice's attachment to France and the Second Empire.

The Statue Massena was listed as a historical monument in 2009, and it continues to be a significant attraction in Nice, drawing visitors from all over the world to admire its beauty and pay homage to Marshal André Masséna.