Siegesdenkmal

The Siegesdenkmal is a war memorial in Freiburg's Altstadt standing 15 meters tall and made from bronze and granite. The goddess Victoria crowns the top holding a laurel wreath, while sculptures and inscriptions at the base complete the composition.

The monument was inaugurated in 1876 to honor the victory of the XIV Army Corps at Belfort during the Franco-Prussian War. Its construction took place during a period when Germany commonly built such memorials to remember military triumphs.

Four bronze warrior statues around the base represent different military branches and their roles in the conflict. The inscribed tablets tell the story of major battles and show what these fights meant to the people of Freiburg.

The site features three information boards in German, French, and English that explain the history and context. It sits centrally in the Altstadt and is easy to reach on foot, with plenty of room to view it from different angles.

The square holding the memorial was originally named Kaiser Wilhelm I Platz but was renamed Europaplatz in 2018. This change shows how the city shifted toward modern values of European cooperation and unity.

Location: Altstadt (Freiburg)

Creator: Friedrich Karl Moest

Official opening: October 3, 1876

Height: 15 m

Made from material: bronze, granite

GPS coordinates: 47.99790,7.85304

Latest update: December 8, 2025 19:46