Waterloosäule, Victory column at Waterlooplatz, Hannover, Germany

The Waterloo Column is a 46-metre Doric victory column on Waterlooplatz, designed by Georg Ludwig Friedrich Laves and built from 1825 to 1832. Its fluted shaft rises from a six-stepped base with a cubic pedestal bearing the inscription "DEN HELDEN VON WATERLOO DAS DANKBARE VATERLAND". A spiral staircase of 189 steps leads to a square viewing platform, where a copper statue of Victoria stands on a sphere, holding a ring above her head and another at her side.

The monument was built to honor a military victory against Napoleon involving soldiers from multiple nations. The statue at the top was added afterward and carries the imagery of a Roman goddess of victory.

The column's name refers to the 1815 Battle of Waterloo, and its base carries the dedication "DEN HELDEN VON WATERLOO DAS DANKBARE VATERLAND". Tablets list the names of the fallen, and captured cannon were placed as trophies. The sculptor's signature is cut into a fold of Victoria's garment near her left foot, where a small panel gives further details.

An internal staircase allows visitors to climb up to an observation platform inside the structure. The building is not always open, so check ahead to confirm access is available before you visit.

The Victoria figure was cast from ten hundredweight of copper by court plumber Conrad Beckmann, his son Franz and assistants, for 200 Louis d'or commissioned by the Duke of Cambridge. The sculptor's signature is hidden in a fold of her garment near the left foot, where a small plaque gives further details.