Renovation of Lion of Waterloo for 200th anniversary completed
The official completion of the renovation work on the Lion of Waterloo, also known as the Lion's Mound, was celebrated on Friday. The renovation was carried out to mark the bicentenary of the memorial to the Battle of Waterloo on 18 June 1815. Over ten years later, in 1826, the famous hill with its cast-iron lion was unveiled.
The renovation works on the Lion of Waterloo, which is owned by the federal government, took five months and cost around 650,000 euros. The National Lottery provided financial support. Among those present on Friday were Federal minister Vanessa Matz, responsible for State Property Management, and Walloon minister for Heritage Valérie Lescresnier.
During the works, the long staircase to the top was refurbished. The 226 steps were repaired where necessary. Work was also carried out on the balustrades and handrails, the stone and cast-iron elements, and the statue of the lion itself.
The 4.45-metre-high lion consists of nine parts. These were also renovated, including the interior. An inspection using a drone showed that the statue was in fairly good condition, but further examination with a borescope revealed that work was needed to ensure its assembly and stability.
At the end of the restoration, on 4 May 2026, a “time capsule” was placed inside the lion. This time capsule contains a technical dossier on the works, an admission ticket to the site, a 1-euro coin, one of the tools used, a lottery ball and a newspaper.
Various events will mark the 200th anniversary, including a photo exhibition, a weekend of celebrations with concerts on 15 and 16 August, and a show themed “200 years of history” on 12 September.
The Lion's Mound monument in Waterloo after a renovation © BELGA PHOTO ERIC LALMAND + © BELGA VIDEO MAARTEN WEYNANTS