The Lion of Waterloo

The Hill with the Lion was built from 1824 to 1826 and is a tribute to the soldiers who lost their lives on June 18, 1815, during the Battle of Waterloo. It was erected at the spot where the heir to the throne and commander of Wellington's first army corps, Prince William of Orange, was wounded.

On the hill stands an imposing lion statue. This cast-iron statue, weighing 28 tons, was designed by the Mechelen artist Van Geel and cast by Cockerill in Liège.

A staircase of 226 steps leads to the top of the Hill, which is 41 meters high, from where one can oversee the battlefield. The lion protects a globe as a symbol of renewed peace in Europe.

Pascal Brackman