La pince de la place de la Riponne, Work of art in Lausanne, Switzerland

La pince de la place de la Riponne is a work of art in Lausanne, Switzerland. It consists of a dark metal sculpture shaped like a two-pronged pincer, lying flat within a narrow gap between pale grey speckled stone slabs, with a thin line of low green growth along the seam beneath and beside it.

The pincer appeared in 1973 when the square was covered with paving stones. It remained in place for decades until it was temporarily removed in 2024 for construction work, and a new metal tool was later sealed into one of the newly installed concrete pavers.

The pincer has become a symbol of Lausanne, listed on the tourism office's website and known to locals who often point it out to visitors. It feeds fantasies and stories, with a book published about it in 2016, and people still debate how it got there.

To find the pincer, stand facing the Palais de Rumine and walk a few steps toward the flower beds; it is embedded in one of the paving stones near the public benches. The area is open and flat, so you can look for it at any time of day, but watch your step as you scan the ground.

The pincer bears a small raised plus sign on its rounded body, a detail that many visitors overlook. Its origin remains a mystery, with theories ranging from a worker's mistake to a hidden piece of evidence, and it continues to intrigue passersby.