Trip Planner: Europe / Switzerland / Canton of Lucerne / Lucerne / Lion Monument

Lion Monument, Lucerne

4.3

Monument · Tourist Spot

Carved in rock to commemorate the Swiss soldiers who died during the French Revolution, the touching Lion Monument inspired Mark Twain to call it "the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world." Designed by Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen in 1819, the colossal monument depicts a mortally wounded lion taking his final breath in a sheltered stone lair, his front paws resting against the broken symbols of the French monarchy. Surrounded by lush trees, the dying lion seems far removed from the city's noise, his facial expression one of heart-rending agony. Don't forget your camera. Take a look at our Lucerne trip planner to schedule your visit to Lion Monument and learn about what else to see and do during your holiday.

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Tours to Lion Monument

FROM $115 BOOK WITH VIATOR Lucerne Walking and Boat Tour: The Best Swiss Experience

5.0

Duration: 3 hours

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FROM $162 BOOK WITH VIATOR Private Classic Lucerne City Walk

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Duration: 2 hours

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FROM $230 BOOK WITH VIATOR Lucerne Walking and Boat Tour: The Total Swiss Experience

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Lion Monument reviews

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TripAdvisor traveler rating

4,604 reviews

Google

4.4

By IsaureL_12

I love this statue as the expression on its face is so life like. The park was not full. The story is written by the front gate which is very interesting more »
By switzerlandtravelfam

One of the most beautiful sculptures on stone on the world, the Lion Monument is a tribute to the Swiss solders in Paris in 1792. more »
By Audrey F

It most certainly isn't a monument to a lion. It is so much more and one much pick up a pamphlet or do some reading before visiting the Monument. Knowing the story and the length of time it took... more »

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Google

By Duong N. Phong

Nice place to visit. The lion has a interesting story behind it. Better go visit in day time. They are currently building something in front of the lion, don’t know how long it will take

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By Quick pro Cook

Oh so sad the lion looked. The famous statue of the dying lion is a must visit if you are in Luzern. It is a short walk from the City Centre. Currently, the surroundings are being renovated and you can see the lion from a viewing platform. There is the Glacier Garden right beside the monument.

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By Jason S

Really nice monument that has a deep history. Currently it is under renovation like many other places in the city, so there is a raised platform to view it but the regular viewing area much closer to the monument is closed. Note that this is a little far away from the rest of the attractions like the bridge, etc.

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By Ian Scott

Beautiful monument in Lucerne, I briefly heard someone near me explain the significance of it and its well worth looking it up and seeing it for yourself as well. Do note as of 12/25/2019 there was a fair amount of construction that sort of detracted from it but I believe they are just adding walkways to further enjoy it.

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By David Kim

Very anti-climatic where you see this one lion sculpture (not as big as I thought) around the rocks and some pond. It’s not bad but I expected more with so much hype and high reviews on many tourist websites. There are also heaps of tourists taking photos around this lion monument making it really busy and crowded. If you have limited time, you won’t miss much if you decide to skip this place.

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