Place du Duc d'Orléans

The Place du Duc dOrléans in Neuilly-sur-Seine is home to an equestrian statue with a journey that spans over a century and two continents. The bronze figure depicts Ferdinand Philippe, the Duke of Orléans and eldest son of King Louis Philippe, who died in a tragic carriage accident in this very town in eighteen forty two. The statue itself was commissioned shortly after his death to honor his military service, particularly during the French conquest of Algeria. It was originally unveiled in eighteen forty five in Algiers, standing prominently on what was then the Place du Gouvernement, right beside the Djemaa el Djedid mosque. There it stood for over one hundred years, serving as a powerful symbol of colonial rule, even becoming a focal point of tension when an Algerian flag was tied to the bronze arm of the statue on the day of Algerian independence in nineteen sixty two. Following that transition, the statue was repatriated to France and spent years in storage at the Château de Vincennes. It was only in nineteen eighty one that the city of Neuilly-sur-Seine, seeking to reclaim this connection to the Orléans family who once held estates here, re-erected the monument at this roundabout. Today, the statue serves as a quiet witness to both the personal history of the French monarchy and the complicated, shifting legacy of France's colonial past.