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Tuesday, November 02, 2021

The Pig of Lucerne

Below is a photograph of one of Lucerne’s most famous tourist attraction. You may recognize it as the “Lion of Lucerne”— a rock relief sculpture of a mortally wounded lion hewn into the rocky face of a large cliff in a former sandstone quarry near Lucerne, in central Switzerland. The monument was dedicated in memory of the Swiss Guards who lost their lives defending the Tuileries Palace in Paris during the 1792 French Revolution. The dying lion symbolizes the soldiers’ courage, strength, and willingness to die rather than to betray their oath of service.
-WiscoDave
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4 comments:

  1. Lost in WVNovember 2, 2021 at 12:42 PM

    I appreciate this type of post/article. I otherwise would probably have not learned of the incident that led to the monument, the history of the monument itself or have been spurred to read more on the history of the bad ass Swiss Guard.
    Thanks, WC!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousNovember 2, 2021 at 1:29 PM

      Swiss Guard, 1527. Sack of Rome.

      https://youtu.be/bRhg2zvalXc

      WiscoDave

      Delete
  2. AnonymousNovember 2, 2021 at 7:58 PM

    When the Wehrmacht was planning to invade Switzerland the legendary last stands of the Swiss guards gave them reason to pause. If Swiss mercenaries will die to the last man to defend a client, how hard will the Swiss fight to defend their home? was a question that gave the Germans pause. Read Target Switzerland by Steven Halbrook, it's a good read.
    Al_in_Ottawa

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousNovember 3, 2021 at 12:34 AM

    For me, this is one of the most heart breaking sculptures I have ever seen. It brings tears to my eyes every time I see it. The pain it shows. Just smashes me every time.
    Heltau

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