Monument Brunswick, Geneva
The Brunswick Monument in the Jardin des Alpes is the Neo-Gothic style mausoleum of Charles d’Este Guelph, Duke of Brunswick.
The Brunswick Monument in the Jardin des Alpes is the Neo-Gothic style mausoleum of Charles d’Este Guelph, Duke of Brunswick. Expelled from his Duchy in Germany, the Duke fled to various cities around Europe and finally settled in Geneva. After his death in 1873, the Brunswick Monument was built in 1879 to honor his request for a tomb resembling the Veronese Scaligeri tombs in exchange for his bequest.
Designed by architect Jean Franel, the 21 metre high mausoleum features a hexagonal base with marble statues of 6 illustrious Guelph ancestors (Henry the Lion, Otto I, Ernest the Confessor, Duke Augustus, Charles William Ferdinand and Frederick William) under canopies on columns at the corners. A forged iron grille marks the perimeter. The central sarcophagus by Ignel has a figure of the Duke, and 8 bas-reliefs depicting the history of Brunswick. It is topped by an ornate marble canopy resting on twisted columns. The canopy now ends in a crown, which replaced the original equestrian statue of the Duke. Around the monument is a terrace with gardens and 2 water basins with marble chimeras. The entrance to the complex from the Lake Geneva waterfront is guarded by 2 marble lions.
Initially a controversial project as the city had not built a mausoleum previously, the beautiful monument is a major attraction in Geneva today.
