The Lion Monument, the Loewendenkmal, is the most moving sight in Lucerne and one of the most famous monuments in Europe, and it takes only a few minutes to reach from the Old Town. Carved into the face of a former sandstone quarry, in a small park below the Wesemlin hill, it shows a huge lion, about ten metres long and six high, lying wounded with a broken spear in its side, its paw resting on a shield bearing the French royal fleur-de-lis, beside a shield with the Swiss cross. It commemorates the Swiss Guards who died on 10 August 1792, during the storming of the Tuileries Palace in Paris, defending King Louis XVI and his family in the French Revolution; hundreds of the guards were killed in the fighting or massacred afterwards. The idea came from Karl Pfyffer von Altishofen, a Lucerne officer of the Guards who had been on leave at the time, and the monument was designed by the Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen and carved into the rock in a little over a year, before its inauguration in 1821. The Latin inscription above the lion honours the loyalty and bravery of the Swiss, and beneath it are carved the names of officers and the approximate numbers of soldiers who died and survived. The setting adds much of the power: the lion lies in a niche in the cliff above a still pool, framed by trees and ivy, so the sculpture seems part of the rock itself, and the quiet of the park makes it a place for reflection rather than a photo stop. Mark Twain, who visited in the 1870s, called it "the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world", and many visitors still feel the same. The monument is free and accessible at all times, with benches around the pool. It is a ten- to fifteen-minute walk from the Chapel Bridge, and right next to the Glacier Garden, which makes the two a natural pair.
How to see it well: come early in the morning or towards evening, when the tour buses have gone and the park is quiet. Stand back by the pool first to see the lion in its setting, then walk closer to read the inscription and see the detail of the carving, the expression on the lion's face and the textures of its mane. Lighting at night gives a different, dramatic view. Allow fifteen to thirty minutes, longer if you sit for a while. The Swiss Guard story is told in more detail at the Glacier Garden next door and in the Swiss National Museum in Zurich.
Around the monument: the Glacier Garden, with its Ice Age potholes and mirror maze, is a few steps away; the Bourbaki Panorama, a vast circular painting of the internment of the French army in Switzerland in 1871, is a short walk down the Loewenstrasse; and the Musegg Wall is up the hill. The Loewenplatz has souvenir shops and a stop for bus 1. The Hofkirche, Lucerne's twin-towered main church, and the lake promenade are ten minutes away on foot.
Why it matters: the monument is a reminder of the long history of Swiss mercenaries in foreign service, a tradition that survives only in the Pontifical Swiss Guard at the Vatican. It is also a masterpiece of Romantic sculpture. For first-time visitors, it is an essential stop, free and quick to see, and it adds depth to a Lucerne day that otherwise centres on bridges, lakes and mountains.
What to expect
The experience
A monumental dying lion carved into a sandstone cliff above a pool in a small, quiet park, with a Latin inscription honouring the Swiss Guards who died in Paris in 1792.
Best time
Early morning or evening, when the tour groups have gone; at night for the lighting.
How long
Fifteen to thirty minutes.
Tips
Stand back by the pool before going close. Pair it with the Glacier Garden next door. Walk from the Chapel Bridge in about fifteen minutes, or take bus 1 to Loewenplatz.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Every first-time visitor to Lucerne; it is free, quick and unforgettable.
- Families
- A short stop with a powerful story; combine it with the mirror maze at the Glacier Garden next door.
- Couples
- A quiet, reflective moment by the pool, best early or late in the day.
- Pair with
- The Glacier Garden, the Chapel Bridge and Old Town, and the Rosengart Collection.
- Time needed
- Fifteen to thirty minutes.
Good questions
What does the Lion Monument commemorate?+
The Swiss Guards who died on 10 August 1792 defending King Louis XVI during the storming of the Tuileries Palace in Paris, in the French Revolution.
Who created the Lion Monument?+
It was designed by the Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen and carved into the sandstone cliff in a little over a year, then inaugurated in 1821.
Is the Lion Monument free?+
Yes, it is free and accessible at all times, in a small public park.
How do I get there from the station?+
Walk across the Chapel Bridge and through the Old Town, about fifteen to twenty minutes, or take bus 1 to the Loewenplatz stop.
What did Mark Twain say about it?+
He called the Lion of Lucerne "the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world", a line still quoted by Lucerne Tourism.
