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Lion Monument

Lion Monument is a park memorial in Lucerne, Switzerland, depicting a dying lion. It commemorates the Swiss Guards who were killed defending King Louis XVI during the French attack on the Tuileries Palace in Paris on 10 August 1792, as well as their commander, Major Karl Josef von Bachmann. The design was created by Bertel Thorvaldsen and carved by Lukas Ahorn in 1820–1821. The work is set into a large sandstone rock face with a grotto and pool, in a small wooded park away from the street. Above the lion are the words Helvetiorum Fidei ac Virtuti, meaning the loyalty and courage of the Helvetians.

Lion Monument in Lucerne showing a dying lion carved into a rock grotto with a broken spear and shield.
The Lion Monument in Lucerne depicts a dying lion carved into the rock face, with a broken spear and shield below.
August 1993 © · CC0
The Lion Monument in Luzern showing a wounded lion carved into a rock grotto with a shield and broken spear.
The Lion Monument in Luzern features a gravely wounded lion carved into the rock face.
July 2007 © · CC BY-SA 2.5
The Lion Monument shows a dying lion carved into a rock grotto, pierced by a spear, with inscriptions above and below and water in front.
The Lion Monument in Lucerne depicts a dying lion carved into the rock face.
July 2007 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
The Lion Monument in Lucerne carved into a rock face beside a reflective pond and paved walkway.
The Lion Monument in Lucerne, showing the carved lion set into the rock above the pond.
April 2015 © · CC BY 2.0
The Lion Monument shows a wounded lion carved into a rocky grotto, with its paw resting on a shield, while small figures in a boat appear below on the water.
The Lion Monument with a wounded lion carved into the rock above a body of water, viewed by people in a small boat.
© Mongin, Antoine-Pierre (Paris, en 1761 - Versailles, 18–05–1827), dessinateur · CC0

Identification

TitleLion Monument
Alternative namesLion of Lucerne; Swiss Guards Monument; Löwendenkmal; Löwendenkmal Luzern; Dying Lion
TypeCommemorative monument / rock relief

Location and ownership

LocationLucerne, Switzerland
SettingA small park near Löwenplatz, in a small forest park separated from the street
Nearby landmarksGlacier Garden; Alpineum; Bourbaki Panorama

Historical context

Commemorated eventThe storming of the Tuileries Palace in Paris on 10 August 1792 and the killing of the Swiss Guards in the French Revolution
Historical backgroundThe Swiss Guards were serving King Louis XVI as part of the French royal household
Historical dates shown10 August 1792; 3 September 1792

Creator

SculptorLukas Ahorn
DesignerBertel Thorvaldsen

Discovery and provenance

InitiatorKarl Pfyffer von Altishofen
Initiator's roleSwiss Guard officer on leave during the massacre
Commissioned byVincenz Rüttiman, Swiss ambassador in Rome
Commission year1818
Fundraising date1818
Support for projectSupported in Switzerland by subscriptions from private citizens and European monarchs
Original planned locationThe garden of Major Pfyffer von Altishofen's house near Lucerne
Preparatory modelA plaster model was sent to Switzerland in early 1819

Physical characteristics

Installation settingA 10-metre-high niche carved into the rock face
DimensionsAbout 10 × 6 metres; cave about 6 × 10 metres
FormA large sandstone rock face carved as a cave with a basin below

Materials

MaterialSandstone
Initial material planBronze
Executed model materialMarble

Technique

TechniqueCarved into a rock wall
Construction datesMarch 1820 to August 1821

History and restoration

Unveiling date1821, on the anniversary of the event commemorated

Appearance

Historical information on monumentThe monument includes a brief account of the commemorated events in bullet points below the cave
Inscription placementAbove the cave
InscriptionHelvetiorum Fidei ac Virtuti
Inscription meaningTo the loyalty and courage of the Swiss / Helvetians
Additional iconographyThe lion's head rests on a shield with the French fleur-de-lis; above it is a shield with the Swiss cross; weapons are placed beside it; a broken arrow appears in the initial design
Depicted figureA wounded, dying lion pierced by a spear

Significance

Visitor countAbout 1.4 million visitors annually
RecognitionOne of the best-known monuments in Switzerland
Heritage protectionPlaced under Swiss monument protection in 2006 and listed as nationally significant in the List of Cultural Properties in Lucerne
Literary receptionMark Twain called it 'the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world' and 'the saddest, most moving and most powerful piece of stone in the world'

Other

Related monumentThe Confederate Lion / Lion of Atlanta at Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta, Georgia, copied the Swiss lion; artist Thomas Brady; dated 1894; commemorates tragic events of the American Civil War
Commemorative medalIn 1817, the Swiss Federal Diet awarded the medal Treue und Ehre ('Loyalty and Honor') to 389 survivors of the regiment