513:, his attitude is noble. His head is bowed, the broken spear is sticking in his shoulder, his protecting paw rests upon the lilies of France. Vines hang down the cliff and wave in the wind, and a clear stream trickles from above and empties into a pond at the base, and in the smooth surface of the pond the lion is mirrored, among the water-lilies. Around about are green trees and grass. The place is a sheltered, reposeful woodland nook, remote from noise and stir and confusion—and all this is fitting, for lions do die in such places, and not on granite pedestals in public squares fenced with fancy iron railings. The Lion of Lucerne would be impressive anywhere, but nowhere so impressive as where he is.
441:
535:
432:
417:
342:, an officer of the Guards who had been on leave in Lucerne at the time of the August fight, later wrote a book detailing the regiment of Swiss Guards during the French Revolution. This book created a strong reaction throughout conservative circles in Switzerland, which motivated him to organize a public subscription to finance a commemorative monument. He began collecting money in 1818, primarily from European Royal houses. He commissioned
398:
478:
274:
36:
270:. The Swiss Guards ran low on ammunition and were overwhelmed by superior numbers. A note written by the King, half an hour after firing had commenced, has survived, ordering the Swiss to retire and return to their barracks. Delivered in the middle of the fighting, this was only acted on after their position had become untenable.
460:
Even before the monument was built it was controversial for its political message glorifying the ancient regime. It immediately elicited a combination of praise, national pride, and public criticism, with some displeased that a monument was built to honor Swiss citizens dying for a foreign monarchy.
286:
that followed. Apart from about a hundred Swiss who escaped from the
Tuileries, the only survivors of the regiment were a 300 strong detachment which had been sent to Normandy (under the king's orders) to escort grain convoys a few days before August 10. The Swiss officers were mostly amongst those
281:
Around 760 of the Swiss Guards defending the
Tuileries were killed during the fighting or massacred after surrender. This number is possibly too high, according to late 20th-century research. An estimated two hundred more died in prison of their wounds or were killed during the
1270:
388:. The inscription below the sculpture lists the names of the officers and gives the approximate numbers of soldiers who died (DCCLX = 760), and survived (CCCL = 350). The work was completed in 1821.
461:
Swiss liberals felt that the personification of
Switzerland as a lion seemed to glorify a conservative, counter-revolutionary mindset, and some even threatened to saw off one of the lion's paws in protest.
615:
in 1894 to honor fallen soldiers of the
Confederacy during the American Civil War. That monument became a target of anti-racist sentiment in the 21st century, and was removed from the cemetery on 7 August
150:
368:("To the loyalty and bravery of the Swiss"). Carved into the cliff face, the monument measures ten metres in length and six metres in height. The dying lion is portrayed impaled by a
1265:
705:
203:. It is one of the most famous monuments in Switzerland, visited annually by about 1.4 million tourists. In 2006, it was placed under Swiss monument protection.
1094:
1162:
1118:
1285:
1290:
440:
1169:
1133:
837:
266:, revolutionaries stormed the palace. Fighting broke out after the Royal Family had been escorted from the Tuileries to take refuge with the
972:
I was far away, standing in the rain before the sleeping lion of
Lucerne, a colossal, noble, stoic lion carved from the rock of a low cliff.
744:
1155:
890:
626:
985:
510:
856:
904:
808:
49:
1087:
934:
551:
832:
Christopher J. Tozzi, p. 80 "Nationalizing France's Army. Foreign, Black and Jewish Troops in the French
Military, 1715-1831,
1126:
397:
229:
1036:
1295:
267:
263:
188:
1280:
1012:
990:
416:
1080:
715:
422:
385:
612:
295:
in
September, still wearing his red uniform of the Guard. Two surviving Swiss officers achieved senior rank under
307:
1275:
534:
1049:
315:
302:
Among the Swiss Guards in France who survived the insurrection and soldiers from the eleven disbanded Swiss
288:
779:
1300:
506:
311:
949:
575:
319:
251:
283:
247:
675:
1230:
1212:
1186:
1103:
347:
259:
180:
98:
431:
1239:
1207:
1148:
957:
852:
833:
740:
567:
239:
192:
650:
505:
The Lion lies in his lair in the perpendicular face of a low cliff—for he is carved from the
1244:
1221:
408:
381:
255:
196:
154:
929:
908:
710:
592:
546:
520:
477:
488:
1259:
1191:
561:
303:
243:
404:
377:
273:
223:
184:
262:
near the frontier, where troops under royalist officers were concentrated. In the
883:
877:
871:
601:
597:
584:
176:
168:
88:
701:
351:
323:
292:
207:
1013:"The Removal of the Lion of Atlanta from Oakland Cemetery – Oakland Cemetery"
961:
64:
51:
580:
355:
118:
35:
492:
1063:
296:
235:
108:
611:
was a near-identical copy of the
Lucerne Lion. It was installed in the
339:
172:
84:
600:, while standing in front of the monument, reflects upon the death of
1072:
373:
358:
607:
Although sculptor T. M. Brady denied it, his large marble sculpture
1271:
Cultural property of national significance in the canton of
Lucerne
533:
369:
343:
272:
200:
211:
1076:
214:
as "the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world."
570:
describes the monument, its history and the associated chapel.
471:
851:
Jerome Bodin, p. 259, "Les
Suisses au Service de la France",
330:(Loyalty and Honor) to 389 of the survivors of the regiment.
787:
Discover Switzerland - Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
809:"The Lucerne Lion: the controversial tourist attraction"
183:
and hewn in 1820–21 by Lukas Ahorn. It commemorates the
291:— in command at the Tuileries — was formally tried and
1200:
1179:
1110:
132:
124:
114:
104:
94:
80:
277:Massacre of the Swiss Guards, Jacques Bertaux 1793
250:had been forced to move with his family from the
884:
354:Lukas Ahorn to fashion the monument in a former
878:
872:
503:
1088:
950:"My Buddy: Patti Smith Remembers Sam Shepard"
8:
706:"Chapter XXVI: The Nest of the Cuckoo-Clock"
210:praised the sculpture of a mortally wounded
21:
938:, 498 (The Modern Library, New York, 2002).
469:In 1880, Mark Twain wrote of the monument:
384:; beside him is another shield bearing the
1163:Bertel Thorvaldsen with the Statue of Hope
1095:
1081:
1073:
34:
20:
16:Sculpture in Lucerne by Bertel Thorvaldsen
907:. Glacier Garden, Lucerne. Archived from
644:
642:
847:
845:
638:
393:
1266:Monuments and memorials in Switzerland
1170:Nicolaus Copernicus Monument, Montreal
774:
772:
770:
768:
306:regiments, about 350 later joined the
1046:travelguide. Retrieved on 2008-08-08.
754:
752:
7:
1156:Nicolaus Copernicus Monument, Warsaw
891:Historical Dictionary of Switzerland
613:Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta, Georgia
530:References in literature and culture
350:to design the image, and contracted
627:List of colossal sculptures in situ
258:in Paris. In June 1791 he tried to
246:of France. On 6 October 1789, King
195:, when revolutionaries stormed the
1134:Józef Poniatowski Monument, Warsaw
807:Olivier Pauchard (7 August 2021).
264:10th of August Insurrection (1792)
14:
1058:The Thorvaldsen's Museum archives
1286:Sculptures by Bertel Thorvaldsen
935:The French Revolution: A History
552:The French Revolution: A History
476:
439:
430:
415:
396:
326:awarded the commemorative medal
1291:Stone sculptures in Switzerland
780:"Under French Rule (1798-1815)"
762:, B.T. Batsford Ltd London 1965
583:describes the monument and the
234:From the early 17th century, a
1064:Infopoints in the park of the
230:Insurrection of 10 August 1792
1:
680:Sehenswürdigkeiten von Luzern
545:The monument is described by
1119:Jason with the Golden Fleece
991:Atlanta Journal-Constitution
905:"Lion Monument Inscriptions"
366:Helvetiorum Fidei ac Virtuti
948:Smith, Patti (2017-08-01).
596:tribute "My Buddy" (2017),
495:using the Transwiki process
423:Coat of arms of Switzerland
386:coat of arms of Switzerland
1317:
1060:. Retrieved on 04-08-2017.
509:of the cliff. His size is
364:The monument is dedicated
314:, while others joined the
287:massacred, although Major
242:had served as part of the
227:
221:
986:"Lion of the Confederacy"
46:
42:
33:
26:
758:M.J. Sydenham, p. 111,
736:Philip Mansel, p. 131,
316:counter-revolutionaries
289:Karl Josef von Bachmann
541:
527:
340:Pfyffer von Altishofen
278:
158:
1044:All About Switzerland
760:The French Revolution
587:that it commemorates.
537:
456:Political controversy
276:
228:Further information:
1296:Sandstone sculptures
576:The Lions of Lucerne
308:Revolutionary Armies
268:Legislative Assembly
252:Palace of Versailles
133:Completion date
65:47.05833°N 8.31056°E
1281:Sculptures of lions
738:Pillars of Monarchy
487:is a candidate for
284:September Massacres
189:were killed in 1792
125:Beginning date
61: /
23:
1187:Thorvaldsen Museum
1104:Bertel Thorvaldsen
984:Halicks, Richard.
813:Swiss Info/History
542:
348:Bertel Thorvaldsen
324:Swiss Federal Diet
279:
181:Bertel Thorvaldsen
99:Bertel Thorvaldsen
1253:
1252:
1240:Thorvaldsen Medal
1208:Danish Golden Age
1122:(1802–1803; 1828)
838:978-0-8139-3833-2
651:"Lucerne Tourism"
568:Elinor Brent-Dyer
502:
501:
320:War in the Vendée
193:French Revolution
140:
139:
70:47.05833; 8.31056
1308:
1245:6257 Thorvaldsen
1097:
1090:
1083:
1074:
1052:The Lucerne Lion
1024:
1023:
1021:
1019:
1009:
1003:
1002:
1000:
998:
981:
975:
974:
969:
968:
945:
939:
927:
921:
920:
918:
916:
901:
895:
886:
880:
874:
865:
859:
849:
840:
830:
824:
823:
821:
819:
804:
798:
797:
795:
793:
784:
776:
763:
756:
747:
734:
728:
727:
725:
723:
718:on 27 April 2003
714:. Archived from
698:
692:
691:
689:
687:
672:
666:
665:
663:
661:
646:
525:
480:
472:
443:
434:
419:
409:House of Bourbon
400:
260:flee to Montmédy
256:Tuileries Palace
206:American author
197:Tuileries Palace
153:
76:
75:
73:
72:
71:
66:
62:
59:
58:
57:
54:
38:
24:
1316:
1315:
1311:
1310:
1309:
1307:
1306:
1305:
1276:1821 sculptures
1256:
1255:
1254:
1249:
1196:
1175:
1127:Cpid and Psyche
1106:
1101:
1033:
1028:
1027:
1017:
1015:
1011:
1010:
1006:
996:
994:
983:
982:
978:
966:
964:
947:
946:
942:
928:
924:
914:
912:
903:
902:
898:
866:
862:
850:
843:
831:
827:
817:
815:
806:
805:
801:
791:
789:
782:
778:
777:
766:
757:
750:
735:
731:
721:
719:
700:
699:
695:
685:
683:
674:
673:
669:
659:
657:
655:Lucerne Tourism
649:Lion Monument.
648:
647:
640:
635:
623:
532:
526:
517:
498:
481:
467:
458:
451:
444:
435:
426:
420:
411:
401:
391:
382:French monarchy
336:
322:. In 1817, the
312:French Republic
244:Royal Household
232:
226:
220:
164:Lion of Lucerne
149:
69:
67:
63:
60:
55:
52:
50:
48:
47:
29:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1314:
1312:
1304:
1303:
1298:
1293:
1288:
1283:
1278:
1273:
1268:
1258:
1257:
1251:
1250:
1248:
1247:
1242:
1237:
1228:
1219:
1210:
1204:
1202:
1198:
1197:
1195:
1194:
1189:
1183:
1181:
1177:
1176:
1174:
1173:
1167:
1159:
1153:
1145:
1137:
1131:
1123:
1114:
1112:
1108:
1107:
1102:
1100:
1099:
1092:
1085:
1077:
1071:
1070:
1061:
1047:
1032:
1031:External links
1029:
1026:
1025:
1004:
976:
954:The New Yorker
940:
930:Thomas Carlyle
922:
911:on 6 July 2011
896:
888:in the online
860:
841:
825:
799:
764:
748:
729:
711:A Tramp Abroad
693:
676:"Löwendenkmal"
667:
637:
636:
634:
631:
630:
629:
622:
619:
618:
617:
605:
588:
579:(2002) author
571:
556:
547:Thomas Carlyle
531:
528:
521:A Tramp Abroad
515:
500:
499:
484:
482:
475:
466:
463:
457:
454:
453:
452:
445:
438:
436:
429:
427:
421:
414:
412:
402:
395:
361:near Lucerne.
335:
332:
328:Treue und Ehre
222:Main article:
219:
216:
179:, designed by
138:
137:
134:
130:
129:
126:
122:
121:
116:
112:
111:
106:
102:
101:
96:
92:
91:
82:
78:
77:
44:
43:
40:
39:
31:
30:
27:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1313:
1302:
1299:
1297:
1294:
1292:
1289:
1287:
1284:
1282:
1279:
1277:
1274:
1272:
1269:
1267:
1264:
1263:
1261:
1246:
1243:
1241:
1238:
1236:
1234:
1229:
1227:
1225:
1220:
1218:
1216:
1211:
1209:
1206:
1205:
1203:
1199:
1193:
1190:
1188:
1185:
1184:
1182:
1178:
1171:
1168:
1165:
1164:
1160:
1157:
1154:
1151:
1150:
1146:
1143:
1142:
1141:Lion Monument
1138:
1135:
1132:
1129:
1128:
1124:
1121:
1120:
1116:
1115:
1113:
1109:
1105:
1098:
1093:
1091:
1086:
1084:
1079:
1078:
1075:
1069:
1067:
1066:Lion Monument
1062:
1059:
1055:
1053:
1048:
1045:
1041:
1039:
1038:Lion Monument
1035:
1034:
1030:
1014:
1008:
1005:
993:
992:
987:
980:
977:
973:
963:
959:
955:
951:
944:
941:
937:
936:
931:
926:
923:
910:
906:
900:
897:
893:
892:
887:
881:
875:
869:
868:Lion Monument
864:
861:
858:
857:2-226-03334-3
854:
848:
846:
842:
839:
835:
829:
826:
814:
810:
803:
800:
788:
781:
775:
773:
771:
769:
765:
761:
755:
753:
749:
746:
745:0 7043 2424 5
742:
739:
733:
730:
717:
713:
712:
707:
703:
697:
694:
682:. 8 June 2015
681:
677:
671:
668:
656:
652:
645:
643:
639:
632:
628:
625:
624:
620:
614:
610:
606:
603:
599:
595:
594:
589:
586:
582:
578:
577:
572:
569:
565:
564:Does It Again
563:
562:Chalet School
557:
554:
553:
548:
544:
543:
540:
539:Lion Monument
536:
529:
523:
522:
514:
512:
508:
496:
494:
490:
485:This section
483:
479:
474:
473:
470:
464:
462:
455:
449:
448:Lion Monument
442:
437:
433:
428:
424:
418:
413:
410:
406:
399:
394:
392:
389:
387:
383:
379:
375:
372:, covering a
371:
367:
362:
360:
357:
353:
349:
345:
341:
333:
331:
329:
325:
321:
317:
313:
309:
305:
300:
298:
294:
290:
285:
275:
271:
269:
265:
261:
257:
253:
249:
245:
241:
237:
231:
225:
217:
215:
213:
209:
204:
202:
198:
194:
190:
186:
182:
178:
174:
170:
166:
165:
160:
156:
152:
147:
146:
145:Lion Monument
135:
131:
127:
123:
120:
117:
113:
110:
107:
103:
100:
97:
93:
90:
86:
83:
79:
74:
45:
41:
37:
32:
25:
22:Lion Monument
19:
1301:Rock reliefs
1232:
1223:
1214:
1161:
1147:
1140:
1139:
1125:
1117:
1065:
1057:
1051:
1050:Dying Lion (
1043:
1037:
1016:. Retrieved
1007:
995:. Retrieved
989:
979:
971:
965:. Retrieved
953:
943:
933:
925:
913:. Retrieved
909:the original
899:
889:
867:
863:
828:
816:. Retrieved
812:
802:
790:. Retrieved
786:
759:
737:
732:
720:. Retrieved
716:the original
709:
696:
684:. Retrieved
679:
670:
658:. Retrieved
654:
608:
591:
574:
559:
550:
538:
519:
518:Mark Twain,
504:
486:
468:
459:
447:
405:fleur-de-lis
390:
378:fleur-de-lis
376:bearing the
365:
363:
337:
327:
301:
280:
240:Swiss Guards
233:
224:Swiss Guards
205:
185:Swiss Guards
163:
162:
159:Löwendenkmal
144:
143:
141:
28:Löwendenkmal
18:
1158:(1828–1830)
1144:(1820–1821)
1136:(1817–1832)
1130:(1804-1807)
1068:in Lucerne.
1018:22 November
997:22 November
818:22 November
602:Sam Shepard
598:Patti Smith
585:Swiss Guard
507:living rock
293:guillotined
191:during the
177:Switzerland
169:rock relief
89:Switzerland
68: /
1260:Categories
1192:Nysø Manor
1111:Sculptures
967:2023-07-06
702:Mark Twain
593:New Yorker
352:stonemason
218:Background
208:Mark Twain
161:), or the
53:47°03′30″N
1040:, Lucerne
962:0028-792X
581:Brad Thor
493:Wikiquote
465:Reception
356:sandstone
346:sculptor
248:Louis XVI
151:‹See Tfd›
119:Sandstone
56:8°18′38″E
1201:See also
1149:Christus
915:8 August
722:8 August
704:(1880).
621:See also
609:The Lion
566:(1955),
516:—
511:colossal
491:over to
334:Memorial
297:Napoleon
236:regiment
115:Material
109:Memorial
95:Designer
81:Location
1180:Museums
885:Italian
792:12 June
590:In her
555:(1837).
489:copying
450:in 2022
407:of the
380:of the
318:in the
310:of the
254:to the
173:Lucerne
167:, is a
85:Lucerne
1235:(1840)
1233:Thetis
1231:[HDMS
1226:(1822)
1217:(1790)
1215:Thetis
1172:(1966)
1166:(1839)
1152:(1821)
960:
879:French
873:German
855:
836:
743:
686:4 July
660:4 July
524:(1880)
374:shield
359:quarry
344:Danish
155:German
1222:HDMS
1213:HDMS
783:(PDF)
633:Notes
616:2021.
370:spear
338:Karl
201:Paris
1224:Rota
1020:2022
999:2022
958:ISSN
917:2008
882:and
870:in
853:ISBN
834:ISBN
820:2022
794:2021
741:ISBN
724:2008
688:2019
662:2019
560:The
446:The
403:The
304:line
212:lion
187:who
142:The
136:1821
128:1820
105:Type
573:In
558:In
549:in
238:of
199:in
171:in
1262::
1056:,
1042:,
988:.
970:.
956:.
952:.
932:,
876:,
844:^
811:.
785:.
767:^
751:^
708:.
678:.
653:.
641:^
299:.
175:,
157::
87:,
1096:e
1089:t
1082:v
1054:)
1022:.
1001:.
919:.
894:.
822:.
796:.
726:.
690:.
664:.
604:.
497:.
425:.
148:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
