This giant monument built based on designs by Bruno Schmitz is impressive because of its crypt decorated with warriors, the colossal statues towering up almost ten metres in the Hall of Fame and the 68 m high dome with the equestrian relief. The route through the foundation area of the gigantic monument provides fascinating insights into the monumental substructure of the building, a prime example of modern civil engineering from the early days of concrete construction.

Several viewpoints at different levels up to the top platform at a height of 91 metres provide a magnificent panoramic view of Leipzig and its surroundings. Passenger lifts lead up to the top exterior gallery at a height of 58 metres.

In October 1813, the biggest battle in the history of mankind so far raged around the Leipzig city walls. Napoleon and his allies on one side, and the allied armies of Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden on the other, fought over Europe’s future political fate. The victory over Napoleon’s forces near Leipzig cost more than 90,000 lives, but it formed the beginning of the end of the Napoleonic era.

Soon, there were many futile attempts to build a memorial for the Battle of the Nations near Leipzig. However, the monument was only completed after the end of the 19th century. On 18th October 1913, the one-hundredth anniversary of the Battle of the Nations, the gigantic 91-metre-high monument was inaugurated as the biggest monument in Europe.

It can be neither denied nor ignored: we are living in times of war. Faced with the external threats that have mounted since the Russian attack on Ukraine in 2022, young people in particular are increasingly questioning their prospects in life and the future of the European peace order.

As the Monument to the Battle of the Nations Foundation, we take these questions—and our responsibility as a memorial site for all victims of war and violence in Europe—seriously. We have therefore invited the Leipzig-based artist collective “krudebude” to conceive an artistic intervention on this theme at the Monument to the Battle of the Nations, coinciding with the World Peace Day and Anti-War Day in September 2026. Centered on the theme “Mixed Feelings,” the project aims to engage people from all walks of life in a conversation about how they are experiencing this “watershed moment” (*Zeitenwende*) and the value we place on defending our free, democratic order.

The lettering installed on the monument—highly visible from afar—reads “Attention? At ease!” (*Stillgestanden? Rührt euch!*). This is by no means intended to question the necessity of national defense that is grounded in parliamentary oversight rather than the blind obedience characteristic of authoritarian systems. Instead, it serves as an urgent call not to succumb to a false sense of security, but to actively “stir”—to take an interest and develop an informed, independent stance on these existential questions. An audio walk created specifically for the project, along with live speakers available on-site, will complement the initiative; the goal is not to offer easy answers, but to raise pressing questions relevant to both today and tomorrow. We warmly invite you to engage with this project and to use this monumental site as a forum for lively encounters and cultivated debate.

Dr. Anselm Hartinger, Managing Director, Monument to the Battle of the Nations Foundation

Due to construction work, access to the Monument to the Battle of the Nations on August 27 and September 21, 2026, is possible only via the main entrance. Access via the “Crypt” level will remain closed on these days.

We thank you for your understanding.