Recently while in Lucerne, Switzerland I saw the amazing world famous bridges of Lucerne which are argueably the most famous of all Swiss tourism sites. However, thankfully, I decided to spend an hour in the rain going looking for the Lion of Lucerne which had a small reference in my guide book. I wasn't sure what to expect but I was delighted when I got there despite having to wheel my suitcase up a hill and hoist an umbrella for most of the expedition. When I got their I took a few snaps and stared at it for 5 minutes if not more. One of the finest pieces of art I have ever seen.
The history behind this mighty artisitic feat goes back to the Swiss having a long tradition of supplying mercenaries to foreign governments. Because the Swiss have been politically neutral for centuries and have long enjoyed a reputation for honoring their agreements, a pope or emperor could be confident that his Swiss Guards wouldn't turn on him when the political winds shifted direction.
The Swiss Guards' honor was put to the test in 1792, when--after trying to escape the French Revolution--King Louis XVI, Marie-Antoinette, and their children were hauled back to the Tuileries Palace in Paris. A mob of working-class Parisians stormed the palace in search of aristocratic blood. More than 700 Swiss officers and soldiers died while defending the palace, without knowing that their royal employers--like Elvis--had left the building.
In the early 1800s, the Danish artist Bertel Thorvaldsen was hired to sculpt a monument to the fallen Swiss Guards. The sculpture was carved in a sandstone cliff above the city center, near Lucerne's Glacier Garden and the Panorama, and it has attracted countless visitors since its dedication in 1821.
Tips: Give yourself at least an overnight stay in the city and try stay down town in the old centre were a double bed for the night will cost anything from 150-300 Swiss francs. Make sure you give yourself and hour to see the two famous bridges and also have a look at the Art Centre near the train station. Myself and Camila had a fine meal for a reasonable price at a restaurent right on the river bank, on the train station side called "Opus" that I would recommend.
