SWISS STATUES
We can all agree that the statues of William Tell, the Lion of Lucerne along with the Reformation monument, Winkelried, Jean-Jacque Rousseau & Pestalozzi are probably the most recognized statues in Switzerland. We are going to highlight a few lesser-known statues, albeit many of which are of people we all recognize.
Statues and monuments are not always erected for lofty or aesthetic reasons. They can be pragmatic as was the case of the Brunswick Monument where Charles II, Duke of Brunswick, agreed to bequeath his fortune to the City of Geneva in exchange for a monument to be built in his name. Some statues are symbolic, such as the statue of Helvetia -the iconic personification of Switzerland. My favorite one of her is in Basel. She is sitting on the shores of the Rhine River in a pensive mood, having lain down her shield & weapon, yet keeping them at arm’s length. In the heroic category we would include the statue of William Tell and of course General Guillaume-Henri Dufour co-founder of the Red Cross.
Some statues just seem out of place. Why are they here? Three come to mind immediately: Giorgio Washington in Lugano- Yes, the first President of the United States, the statue of Gandhi in Geneva, and Sherlock Holmes in Meiringen. Apparently, a Swiss entrepreneur who made a fortune in the U.S. gifted it “to recognize the land of opportunity across the ocean.” The statue of Gandhi was gifted by the Indian Government to the City of Geneva for its role in promoting peace, harmony, & friendship. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle spent a lot of time in Switzerland and based the last of the Sherlock Holmes episodes near Meiringen at the Reichenbach Falls.
You will often hear “Washington slept here” when travelling in the U.S. In Switzerland to recognize & honor famous people who spent time in their communities, statues are erected. Albert Einstein lived in Bern while he developed his Theory of Relativity. To pay homage to the Nobel Prize winning physicist, four statues were erected in the City. In Montreux, the Alley of Jazz Musicians features statues of B.B. King, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, Quincy Jones, Aretha Franklin, & Carlos Santana. Also honored is the well-know Russian-American novelist & lepidopterist, Vladimir Nabokov. James Joyce fans can visit the grave of James Joyce in Zürich where he found refuge during the two World Wars. For those of us who enjoyed “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “My Fair Lady”, you will find a beautiful bust of Audrey Hepburn in Tolochenaz. In closing, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the beautiful statue of Sissi, the Empress of Austria, who was assassinated in 1898 during one of her many visits to Geneva.
We can all agree that the statues of William Tell, the Lion of Lucerne along with the Reformation monument, Winkelried, Jean-Jacque Rousseau & Pestalozzi are probably the most recognized statues in Switzerland. We are going to highlight a few lesser-known statues, albeit many of which are of people we all recognize.
Statues and monuments are not always erected for lofty or aesthetic reasons. They can be pragmatic as was the case of the Brunswick Monument where Charles II, Duke of Brunswick, agreed to bequeath his fortune to the City of Geneva in exchange for a monument to be built in his name. Some statues are symbolic, such as the statue of Helvetia -the iconic personification of Switzerland. My favorite one of her is in Basel. She is sitting on the shores of the Rhine River in a pensive mood, having lain down her shield & weapon, yet keeping them at arm’s length. In the heroic category we would include the statue of William Tell and of course General Guillaume-Henri Dufour co-founder of the Red Cross.
Some statues just seem out of place. Why are they here? Three come to mind immediately: Giorgio Washington in Lugano- Yes, the first President of the United States, the statue of Gandhi in Geneva, and Sherlock Holmes in Meiringen. Apparently, a Swiss entrepreneur who made a fortune in the U.S. gifted it “to recognize the land of opportunity across the ocean.” The statue of Gandhi was gifted by the Indian Government to the City of Geneva for its role in promoting peace, harmony, & friendship. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle spent a lot of time in Switzerland and based the last of the Sherlock Holmes episodes near Meiringen at the Reichenbach Falls.
You will often hear “Washington slept here” when travelling in the U.S. In Switzerland to recognize & honor famous people who spent time in their communities, statues are erected. Albert Einstein lived in Bern while he developed his Theory of Relativity. To pay homage to the Nobel Prize winning physicist, four statues were erected in the City. In Montreux, the Alley of Jazz Musicians features statues of B.B. King, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, Quincy Jones, Aretha Franklin, & Carlos Santana. Also honored is the well-know Russian-American novelist & lepidopterist, Vladimir Nabokov. James Joyce fans can visit the grave of James Joyce in Zürich where he found refuge during the two World Wars. For those of us who enjoyed “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “My Fair Lady”, you will find a beautiful bust of Audrey Hepburn in Tolochenaz. In closing, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the beautiful statue of Sissi, the Empress of Austria, who was assassinated in 1898 during one of her many visits to Geneva.
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