Panorama of the Battle of Waterloo, Rotunda panorama in Braine-l'Alleud, Belgium

The Panorama of the Battle of Waterloo is a white-painted brick rotunda north of the Lion's Mound in Braine-l'Alleud. Its curved wall has recessed blind arches between Ionic pilasters, a palmette frieze and a conical roof with a glazed ring. Inside, a 110-metre canvas by Louis Dumoulin encircles a central platform 5 metres high.

The rotunda was designed by architect Franz Van Ophem in 1911, and Louis Dumoulin completed the painting in 1912. The building and painting were protected as historical monuments in 1998, and in 2008 Belgium proposed the panorama for UNESCO World Heritage listing. It is one of the few original panoramas still exhibited in its original location.

The building brings the battle to life through painted scenes and models that work together to show what happened during the fighting. Visitors can see how artists chose to remember this moment for people who came after.

The location is near the Lion's Mound and offers a raised viewing platform to see the work from above. Take time to walk around slowly and look at the painted details from different spots to understand the full scope of the battle scenes.

The rotunda was designed by Franz Van Ophem in 1911, and the painting by Louis Dumoulin was completed in 1912 from 14 canvas panels sewn into a cylinder. Other Waterloo panoramas by Charles Verlat, Paul Philippoteaux and Charles Castellani have been lost, leaving this one in its original location.