Monument to the Battle of the Nations (Völkerschlachtdenkmal)
From October 16-19, 1813, Leipzig was the site of the Battle of the Nations. The unified armed forces of Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden prevailed in a decisive victory over Napoleon and his allies on German soil. In the end, 600,000 soldiers from over twenty countries took part in the battle, 100,000 were killed or wounded, and a typhus epidemic broke out in Leipzig, killing 10% of the population.
One year after the devastating battle, the poet Ernst Moritz Arndt had the idea of creating a memorial to honour the fallen. In 1894, Leipzig architect Clemens Thieme founded the German Patriot's Association, with the goal of collecting donations for the memorial. By 1898, sufficient funds had been raised to lay the cornerstone.
In 1913, the Monument to the Battle of the Nations was dedicated as a national monument.
Location
Show the Monument to the Battle of the Nations on the city map
Dates and Facts
- Location: in southwest Leipzig, the Probstheida District
- Height: 91 metres (299 ft.)
- Weight: 300,000 tons
- Number of steps to the observation platform: 500
- Construction period: 15 years
- Architect: Bruno Schmitz
- Construction material: granite porphyry from Beucha (for the visible sections)
- Renovation: began in 2003; tower renovations began in 2013
Observation platform
After climbing 364 steps, visitors are rewarded with a phenomenal panorama view of Leipzig and the surrounding area. Note: the steps lead through a very narrow passageway.
Admission prices:
Adults: € 8.00
Students and Seniors: € 6.00
Children under 6: free (Admission prices include entrance to the museum)
Opening Hours
April - October
Daily: 10:00am to 6:00pm
November - March
Daily: 10:00am to 4:00pm