Astrid Chapel, Memorial chapel in Küssnacht, Switzerland

Astrid Chapel is a stone structure beside Lake Lucerne with a terrace offering views toward Küssnacht harbor and Mount Rigi beyond. The building features a simple, reverent form and sits on the lower side of the road, oriented toward the water.

Architect Paul Rome designed this memorial, which opened in 1936 following the death of Queen Astrid of Belgium in a motor accident. The structure was built as a tribute to a Belgian monarch whose tragic death shocked Switzerland and neighboring countries.

The memorial cross of Swedish granite near the chapel bears the inscription « La croix du Roi » and marks the spot where Queen Astrid died. Beside the entrance, a stone relief reads « L’union fait la force », and a plaque explains the 1935 accident in French, Dutch and German. Inside, three stained-glass windows flank each side, the middle one showing the queen.

The memorial stands at the southern entrance of Küssnacht, between the Luzernerstrasse and the lake shore. Steps lead down from the road to the chapel on both sides, and the pear tree at the accident site is enclosed by an iron fence. The memorial cross of Swedish granite, inscribed « La croix du Roi », stands on the meadow.

The memorial cross near the chapel is cut from Swedish granite and bears the inscription « La croix du Roi » (the King's cross). It marks the spot where Queen Astrid died of her injuries on 29 August 1935. The cross was placed as part of the memorial layout agreed between the Swiss government and the Belgian royal house.