Lion Monument

The Lion Monument is located in Lucerne and recalls in the allegory of a dying lion at the August 10, 1792 at the Tuileries in Paris fallen Swiss Guards.

At that time served around 1100 as Swiss Guard of Louis XVI. During the French Revolution, the population stormed the already abandoned by the royal family Tuileries Palace. In defense of the empty castle found about 760 Swiss death.

The monument was created by the initiative of the officer Carl Pfyffer of Altishofen, who spent this time on vacation in Lucerne. He began in 1818 with the collection of money. The monument was finally cut to a design by the Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen by Constance Steinmetz Luke maple in the former sandstone quarry near Lucerne. On August 10, 1821 was unveiled.

About the Lion is HELVETIORUM FIDEI AC VIRTUTI (Latin: The loyalty and bravery of the Swiss ), under it are the names of the fallen and rescued officers of the Swiss Guard, and the approximate number of the fallen ( DCCLX = 760 ) or surviving ( CCCL = 350) soldiers indicated.

Mark Twain described the monument as " saddest and most moving piece of rock in the world".

Extensive copy, however, was then issued by the artist as his own, finds himself as Lion of the Confederacy at the Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta, Georgia.