The Arco della Pace in Milano is a grand neoclassical monument, originally conceived during Napoleon’s era as a symbol of victory. Construction began in 1807 under architect Luigi Cagnola to commemorate French triumphs, such as the Battle of Jena, but halted with Napoleon’s fall in 1814. Resumed under Austrian rule in 1826, it was rededicated to peace following the Congress of Vienna in 1815 and completed in 1837, marking Milano’s layered history of conquest and reconciliation.
Its style draws heavily from Roman triumphal arches, like the Arch of Septimius Severus, featuring three fornices flanked by Corinthian columns in Baveno granite and Crevola d’Ossola marble. Richly adorned with bas-reliefs depicting Roman mythology, Napoleonic battles, and Restoration events, the 25-metre-high structure exudes solemn grandeur, surpassing even Paris’s Arc de Triomphe in decorative detail.
Atop the arch, a bronze quadriga entitled ‘The Chariot of Peace‘ by Abbondio Sangiorgio commands the centre, with six horses pulling the goddess of peace’s carriage. Four galloping Victory figures by Giovanni Putti grace the corners, while statues of rivers like the Po and Adige, plus allegories of arts and trades, enhance the pediment’s narrative of harmony and prosperity.
Arco della Pace
Parco Sempione
Milano
Italy
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