Hotels near Lion Monument (Löwendenkmal)

Carved directly into a sandstone cliff between 1820 and 1821, the Lion Monument commemorates the roughly 760 Swiss Guards who died defending King Louis XVI at the Tuileries Palace on 10 August 1792. Bertel Thorvaldsen designed the dying lion, and stonemason Lukas Ahorn executed the carving on site. The figure is 10 metres long and 6 metres high, pierced by a broken spear, with a shield bearing the fleur-de-lys of the French monarchy beneath its paw. Mark Twain famously called it 'the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world' in A Tramp Abroad (1880), and that quote is still the reason most visitors come.

The small park in front has a reflecting pond that doubles the effect. Entry is free, the site is open 24/7, and 15 minutes is enough unless you also visit the adjacent Glacier Garden (Gletschergarten), which shares the address and charges CHF 22 for adults in 2026.

Pro Tip: Come before 09:00 or after 18:00 to avoid coach-tour crowds - between 10:00 and 16:00 the little plaza is genuinely packed. Combine the visit with the Glacier Garden next door if you have 90 minutes; the same ticket includes a mirror maze that kids love.