Lion Monument

Lore & Background

The monument was conceived by Karl Pfyffer von Altishofen, an officer of the Swiss Guards who was on leave in Lucerne during the August 1792 fight. He later wrote a book detailing the regiment, which motivated him to organize a public subscription to finance a commemorative monument. He began collecting money in 1818, primarily from European royal houses, and commissioned Thorvaldsen to design the image and Ahorn to carve it in a former sandstone quarry near Lucerne. The work was completed in 1821.

The monument is dedicated 'Helvetiorum Fidei ac Virtuti' ('To the loyalty and bravery of the Swiss'). Carved into the cliff face, it depicts a dying lion impaled by a spear, covering a shield bearing the fleur-de-lis of the French monarchy, with another shield bearing the coat of arms of Switzerland beside it. A separate plaque below lists the names of the officers and gives approximate numbers of soldiers who died (760) and survived (350).

Even before completion, there was concern about its political message glorifying the ancien régime. It elicited praise, national pride, and public criticism, with some displeased that it honored Swiss citizens dying for a foreign monarchy. Swiss liberals felt it glorified a conservative, counter-revolutionary mindset, and some threatened to saw off one of the lion's paws in protest.

Reader's Guide

The Lion Monument stands as a significant historical and cultural landmark in Switzerland, commemorating the Swiss Guards who died defending the Tuileries Palace in Paris during the French Revolution. Around 760 guards were killed during the fighting or massacred after surrender, though late 20th-century research suggests this number may be too high. An estimated two hundred more died in prison or during the September Massacres. The monument's creation by Karl Pfyffer von Altishofen, a survivor on leave, reflects a conservative reaction to the revolutionary events. Its reception has been mixed, with praise for its artistry and national pride alongside criticism for glorifying service to a foreign monarchy. American author Mark Twain praised it as 'the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world.' The monument has appeared in literature by Thomas Carlyle, Elinor Brent-Dyer, Brad Thor, and Patti Smith. A near-identical copy, The Lion, was installed in Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta, Georgia in 1894 to honor Confederate soldiers, but was removed in 2021 due to anti-racist sentiment. The monument remains a major tourist attraction, drawing about 1.4 million visitors annually.

Did You Know?

• The monument was designed by Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen and carved by stonemason Lukas Ahorn in 1820–21.
• It commemorates the Swiss Guards killed in 1792 when revolutionaries stormed the Tuileries Palace in Paris.
• American author Mark Twain called it 'the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world.'
• A bronze lion monument, The Lion, was installed in Atlanta, Georgia in 1894 to honor Confederate soldiers and was removed in 2021. Though often compared to the Lion of Lucerne, it is a different design—a bronze sculpture