The Lion of Lucerne

One of the chief attractions to tourists in the city of Lucerne, Switzerland, is the figure of a lion hewn out of the living rock on the side of a high cliff which borders a small park at the extremity of the town: beneath the lion is a small sheet of water, which reflects it with the clearness of a mirror.

The lion is of colossal size, wounded to death, with a spear in his side, yet endeavoring in his last gasp to protect from injury a shield bearing the fleur-de-lis of the Bourbons, which he holds in his paw.

The design was furnished by the great sculptor Thorwaldsen; and the "Lion of Lucerne" is a noble monument erected to the memory of the Swiss Guard who fell in defence of the Tuileries at Paris, on the memorable 10th of August, 1792.

Beneath the sculptured lion are the names of the officers of the Swiss Guard.

When the revolutionary mob surrounded the Tuileries, the National Guard, and nine hundred men composing the Swiss Guard, were in charge of the defence of the palace.

The king, desiring to avoid the shedding of blood, would not allow the Guard to fire upon the crowd, but with the royal family fled for safety to the hall of the National Assembly. The Swiss Guard finding it impossible to keep back the mob, who were pressing into the palace, at length fired, killing and wounding many of them.

The rage of the people then knew no bounds; and, being joined by the National Guard, they broke into the palace, and murdered all whom they found in it.

This affair furnished a fresh charge against the king: the Swiss Guard were said to have fired by his orders, and thus the king was accused of making war upon his people.

Seven hundred of the Swiss Guard were massacred; and the king and royal family were taken prisoners, and finally executed. Thus, the date upon the "Lion of Lucerne" marks not only the massacre of the Swiss Guard, and their loyalty to the Bourbons, but it marks an important epoch in history,--the day upon which Louis XVI., King of France, really ceased to reign.