Richard-Wagner-Denkmal, Bronze memorial statue in Mitte district, Leipzig, Germany.
The Richard-Wagner-Denkmal is a standing statue in the center of Leipzig showing the young composer in casual dress on a white marble base. The bronze figure stands on a base with marble panels on three sides, each carved with scenes from Wagner's operas.
The monument was unveiled in 2013 for the 200th anniversary of Wagner's birth, based on designs the sculptor Max Klinger had prepared in 1913. World War I had stopped Klinger's original plans, and a full century passed before the work was finally completed.
The marble panels on the base show figures from Wagner's operas, including the Rhine maidens, Siegfried, and Parsifal, carved in relief. Taking time to walk around the base reveals the different scenes one by one.
The monument stands in central Leipzig and is easy to reach on foot from the main train station or nearby tram stops. Walking around the full base is worth doing, as the carved panels are spread across several sides.
Behind the bronze figure of the young man, a dark bronze plate shows the silhouette of an older Wagner. This means two stages of the composer's life are visible at the same time on a single monument.
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