Lion Monument Lucerne

The Lion Monument in Lucerne (Löwendenkmal) is a rock relief carved into a sandstone wall to commemorate Swiss Guards killed in 1792 during the French Revolution. It was created in the early 19th century and is one of Lucerne’s best-known historic monuments.

A large reclining, dying lion carved in high relief is set within a shallow stone niche and framed by a small park and reflecting pool immediately behind the old town. The composition and sheltered setting were designed to evoke mourning and are accessible to visitors on a short walk from Lucerne’s central streets.

The monument was commissioned in the early 1800s to honour the memory of the Swiss Guards who died at the Tuileries and was executed as a carved bas-relief in natural rock. It has been a popular site for visitors since the 19th century and is widely reproduced in guidebooks and art history.

The relief sits beside a small landscaped grotto a short walk from Lucerne’s historic centre, adjacent to the Reuss river and the city’s lakeside district.

• Commemorative subject: Carved into a sandstone rock face, the monument commemorates Swiss Guards who died defending the Tuileries in 1792 and dates from the early 19th century.
• Size and setting: The relief is roughly 10 metres long and set in a sheltered rock grotto close to Lucerne's old town and the Reuss river.