Brunswick Monument, Marble mausoleum in Jardin des Alpes, Switzerland.
The Brunswick Monument is a white marble mausoleum in Geneva that spans three levels and is crowned by a hexagonal canopy. The central sarcophagus houses the duke's remains beneath this elaborately designed structure.
Charles II of Brunswick bequeathed his vast fortune to Geneva in 1873 with a requirement that the city build a monument modeled on Verona's Scaliger Tombs. This condition shaped both the architecture and the place's importance to the city.
The monument displays six marble figures representing ancestors of the House of Guelph, along with marble lions and chimeras guarding the structure. These statues tell the story of the duke's family and their place in European history.
The monument stands on Quai du Mont-Blanc in a park setting with free access. It sits on an elevated platform and can be viewed from multiple angles, making it worth walking around the structure to take in all sides.
An original bronze equestrian statue that crowned the monument's top was relocated to an adjacent plinth in 1883 after earthquake damage. This relocation shows how natural forces affected even grand structures.
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