benjhu
Lion Monument
33 feet long by 20 feet tall carved right into a cliff face, over a reflective pool in a peaceful park.
The mighty lion rests his paws on a shield, which his head cocked to one side, tears streaming down his cheeks. In his side is the broken-off end of a spear, which is slowly killing the noble beast. (Note the angle of the spear, which matches the striations of the rock face, subtly suggesting more spears raining down on the lion.) This heartbreaking figure represents the Swiss mercenaries who were killed or executed defending the French king in the French Revolution. - Rick Steves
Mark Twain praised this sculpture of a mortally-wounded lion as "the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world."[
Lion Monument
33 feet long by 20 feet tall carved right into a cliff face, over a reflective pool in a peaceful park.
The mighty lion rests his paws on a shield, which his head cocked to one side, tears streaming down his cheeks. In his side is the broken-off end of a spear, which is slowly killing the noble beast. (Note the angle of the spear, which matches the striations of the rock face, subtly suggesting more spears raining down on the lion.) This heartbreaking figure represents the Swiss mercenaries who were killed or executed defending the French king in the French Revolution. - Rick Steves
Mark Twain praised this sculpture of a mortally-wounded lion as "the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world."[