Apotheosis of St. Louis is a statue of King Louis IX of France, namesake of St. Louis, Missouri, located in front of the Saint Louis Art Museum in Forest Park. Part of the iconography of St. Louis, the statue was the principal symbol of the city between its erection in 1906 and the construction of the Gateway Arch in the mid-1960s.

The statue is perched on a granite pedestal and stands over 40' feet tall, from the ground to the hilt of the outstretched sword. Its location in front of the St. Louis Art Museum is appropriate, as it overlooks the former scene of the 1904 World's Fair.

A history of the statues and monuments in Forest Park in St. Louis, MO. Published by Forest Park Forever.

During the 1904 World’s Fair, the plaster statue sculpted by Charles Henry Niehaus was erected on the concourse of the Plaza of St. Louis, near the Park’s north entrance, where the Missouri History Museum now stands.

The statue stands as a symbol of Christianity, the Crusading spirit, and the strength and vitality of the City of St. Louis. After the Fair, the Louisiana Exposition Committee decided to have the sculpture re-cast and presented as a permanent gift to the City.

Scattered across the city's parks and public spaces are a host of fascinating statues that represent everything from high-flown ideals to wish fulfillment to straight-up commercialism. These...

Sep 6, 2021 · "The Apotheosis of St. Louis, the equestrian statue of Louis IX, King of France and patron saint of the city of St. Louis, was situated at the Plaza of St. Louis at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition -- the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair.

During the 1904 World’s Fair, the plaster statue sculpted by Charles Henry Niehaus was erected on the concourse of the Plaza of St. Louis, near the Park’s north entrance, where the Missouri History Museum now stands.

Apotheosis of St. Louis Forest Park Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr Statue Fountain Park Edward Bates Statue Forest Park Firefighters Memorial Poelker Park Frank Blair Statue Forest Park Friedrich Schiller (1759-1805) Statue Memorial Plaza General Grant Statue Washington Square Park General Nathan Lyon Statue Lyon Park Joie De Vivre Forest Park

The visage is not an attempt at a likeness, but the pioneer character is instead represented. The composition depicts Laclede stepping from his boat to the bank to found St. Louis. The statue was unveiled in May of 1914. Sculptor: George Julian Zolnay Year Dedicated: 1914 Location