Completion date 1880 Medium Sandstone Phone +33 3 84 54 25 51 | Type Sculpture Location Belfort, France | |
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Artist Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi Address Allée du Souvenir Français, 90000 Belfort, France Hours Open today · 10AM–12:30PM, 2–6PMSaturday10AM–12:30PM, 2–6PMSunday10AM–12:30PM, 2–6PMMonday10AM–12:30PM, 2–6PMTuesday10AM–12:30PM, 2–6PMWednesday10AM–12:30PM, 2–6PMThursday10AM–12:30PM, 2–6PMFriday10AM–12:30PM, 2–6PM Architect Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi Similar Citadelle de Belfort, Belfort Cathedral, Musées de Belfort, Belfort Gap, Musée Bartholdi | ||
The Lion of Belfort is a monumental sculpture by Frédéric Bartholdi, sculptor of the Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World) in New York, located in Belfort, France.
Overview
It was finished in 1880 and is entirely made of red sandstone. The blocks it is made from were individually sculpted then moved under Belfort castle to be assembled. The colossal work is 22 meters long and 11 meters high and dominates the local landscape.
The lion symbolizes the heroic French resistance during the Siege of Belfort, a 103-day Prussian assault (from December 1870 to February 1871). The city was protected from 40,000 Prussians by merely 17,000 men (only 3,500 were from the military) led by Colonel Denfert-Rochereau.
Instead of facing Prussia to the east as was intended, it was turned the other way because of German protests.
Smaller editions stand in the center of Place Denfert-Rochereau in Paris, and in Downtown Montreal — Lion of Belfort (Montreal).