Industrial · Monuments

Lion of Belfort

Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi Paris

The Lion of Belfort is a monumental sculpture made of repoussé copper plates by Auguste Bartholdi, located at Place Denfert-Rochereau in Paris. It is a replica reduced to one-third of the original Lion de Belfort carved in Belfort, with its height and length scaled from that model. The sculpture symbolizes the resistance of Colonel Aristide Denfert-Rochereau during the siege of Belfort and represents events from the Franco-German War of 1870. It is oriented toward the Statue of Liberty in the arrondissement.

A plaster model reproducing the lion at one third of its final size was exhibited at the 1878 sculpture salon in Paris. The work was acquired by the Paris municipal council in 1880 and was first intended for installation at Buttes-Chaumont. A petition from residents determined its final location at Place Denfert-Rochereau, where it was inaugurated in 1880. A bronze medallion representing Colonel Aristide Denfert-Rochereau was fixed to the pedestal in 1920, removed under the Vichy regime, and replaced with a new bronze medallion in 1979.

Map showing the location of Lion of Belfort in Paris
Location of Lion of Belfort in Paris

Nearby Objects

Sculpture and Location

The Lion of Belfort is a sculpture made of repousse copper plates by Auguste Bartholdi. It is located at Place Denfert-Rochereau in Paris. The work is identified with a specific urban site, giving it a clear public setting within the city. Its material and construction technique are central to its design, and its placement in a prominent Paris location contributes to its visibility as part of the urban landscape.

Design and Historical Symbolism

The Lion of Belfort is a replica reduced to one-third of the original Lion de Belfort size. Its height and length are scaled from the Lion de Belfort carved in Belfort. The description looks towards the Statue of Liberty in the arrondissement. In symbolic terms, it represents the resistance of Colonel Aristide Denfert-Rochereau during the siege of Belfort and refers to events from the Franco-German War of 1870.

Installation and Later Changes

A plaster model reproducing the lion at one third of its final size was exhibited by Histoire at the 1878 sculpture salon in Paris. The Paris municipal council acquired Histoire in 1880 for an unspecified amount of francs and initially intended to install it at Buttes-Chaumont. Its final location was decided by a petition of residents, and the work was placed at Place Denfert-Rochereau. Histoire was inaugurated in 1880. In 1920, a bronze medallion representing Colonel Aristide Denfert-Rochereau was fixed to the pedestal. This medallion was later removed under the Vichy regime and sent for smelting during non-ferrous metal mobilization. A new bronze medallion was installed on the pedestal in 1979.

Literary and Musical References

The Lion of Belfort, identified in these references as Le Lion de Denfert-Rochereau, appears in several literary and musical works. Henri Calet wrote about it in chapter XXVII of Le tout sur le tout. Jacques Charpentreau also devoted a poem to it, entitled Le Lion de Denfert-Rochereau. This poem was later set to music by Pierre Castellan. The monument was further mentioned by Albert Vidalie in his song Les Loups sont entr dans Paris.