Napoleon’s House
The most interesting place in Ajaccio, attracting tourists from all over the world, is the House of Bonaparte, located in the city’s old district. There the legendary emperor was born and spent his childhood. The House is open daily, except on Mondays. You can visit Napoleon’s salon by going up to the second floor of the town hall. Bonaparte’s invisible presence is felt here in every piece of furnishings: in portraits, busts, and medals bearing his image.
St. Mary's Cathedral
The Old Town is interesting for its historical monuments, such as the Cathedral of Sainte-Marie, located at the intersection of Via Forsioli-Conti and Rue Saint-Charles, where a marble baptismal font still stands, where Napoleon was baptized. One of the cathedral’s chapels is decorated with “The Virgin with the Sacred Heart” by É. Delacroix (1798-1863).
Napoleon’s Statue
The marble Bonaparte standing in Place Foch in the guise of a Roman consul is a gift from the Emperor’s uncle, Cardinal Fesch, to the city. Four lions surround the sculpture’s pedestal, their mouths-fountains. On the sides of the pedestal are reliefs allegorically depicting Victory, Virtue, Prudence, and Peace. The statue was made in 1806 in Rome by sculptor Francesco Massimiliano Laboure on the commission of François Cacault-the French consul in Rome. Bonaparte himself showed no particular interest in the monument, and his uncle presented the sculpture as a gift to Ajaccio.
Austerlitz Square
A noisy and crowded place - the Place d’Austerlitz. Right at the entrance, you can meet a Napoleon souvenir boutique. And from the top of the stone pyramid, Napoleon watches over the city bustle below, reached by two narrow staircases. The inscription carved into the slabs reads: “Napoleon I - Emperor of France 1804-1815”.
