Lion Monument Lucerne, Rock relief in Lucerne, Switzerland
The Lion Monument is a sandstone relief carved into a natural rock face in Lucerne, showing a wounded lion resting over shields. The animal's body lies on a shield with fleur-de-lis, while its paw protects another shield bearing the Swiss cross.
Swiss Guard officer Karl Pfyffer von Altishofen commissioned Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen to design the work after the events of 1792. The carving into the rock was carried out between 1820 and 1821 by stonemason Lukas Ahorn from Konstanz.
Visitors find an inscription listing the names of fallen guards at the site, emphasizing the personal nature of the tribute. The design shows the lion as a heraldic animal of Switzerland, representing both pain and courage at once.
The monument sits in a small park not far from the old town and is freely accessible at all times. A wooden railing separates visitors from the water and provides an unobstructed view of the sculpture without architectural barriers.
The stone surface still shows traces of the tools Ahorn used to shape the lion. A small cave in the rock above the figure serves as a shelter for bats and is protected by a grating.
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