Lion of Belfort

The Lion of Belfort is a colossal copper statue crouched atop a stone pedestal in the center of the Place Denfert-Rochereau. Sculptor Auguste Bartholdi created this smaller version of his famous monument in Belfort to honor the defense of that city during the Franco-Prussian War. The lion represents resistance, its head turned back toward the east, teeth bared in a snarl. Residents often walked past this silent, muscular figure while carrying secret messages during the French Resistance in the second world war.