Lion Monument (Löwendenkmal), Lucerne: How to Visit and What to Do Nearby

The Lion Monument is a sandstone relief carved into a cliff face in a small park off Denkmalstrasse in Lucerne, Switzerland, depicting a dying lion draped over a shield bearing the French royal fleur-de-lis. Designed by Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen and carved by Lukas Ahorn in 1821, the 10-meter-long by 6-meter-high sculpture commemorates the roughly 760 Swiss Guards killed defending the Tuileries Palace during the French Revolution on August 10, 1792. Mark Twain called it the saddest and most moving piece of stone in the world. The monument sits above a reflecting pool surrounded by trees. is just one of many options in Lucerne. Major attractions worth considering include Eiger, Lucerne Old Town, and Mt. Pilatus.