Switzerland Guide
Luzern
Löwendenkmal
One of the highlights of Luzern is the terribly sad Löwendenkmal (Lion Monument). This wounded beast – dubbed "the Dying Lion of Lucerne" – draped over his shield, with a broken spear sticking out of his flank, was hewn out of a cliff face in 1821 to commemorate the 700 Swiss mercenaries killed in Paris in 1792. On August 10 that year, French revolutionaries stormed the royal palace, the Tuileries; in the face of the mob, the Swiss palace guards were ordered to lay down their arms by Louis XVI and so were massacred. This would be a movingly tranquil spot, with its foliage and gently rippling pool in front, were it not for the fact that it's the single most touristed place in the entire city.
Opening time: Daily
Price: Free