Statue of Alexandre Vinet, Lausanne, Statue in Lausanne, Switzerland
The statue of Alexandre Vinet is a marble sculpture of a seated, pensive figure, placed on a rectangular limestone base. It stands at the end of the Montbenon promenade, near the St-François side, in a wooded area.
The idea for the monument began in 1861 with a student society, and the statue was inaugurated in 1900. It was created by sculptor Maurice Reymond de Broutelles and architect Eugène Jost.
The statue shows Vinet in a thinking pose, a common way to depict philosophers. Local students commissioned it, and their society's name appears on the base, linking the monument to student life in Lausanne.
The monument is in a public park and can be visited freely at any time. It is a short walk from the city center, and the flat paths make it easy to reach on foot.
The base carries two quotes by Vinet about Christianity and freedom, which are easy to miss. The monument was restored in 2016 and 2017 to clean the marble and protect it from graffiti.
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