Lion Mound Monument & Waterloo Battlefields On Your Own
-
Port
Antwerp, Belgium
-
Activity Level
Moderate Activity
-
Excursion Type
Information Not Currently Available
-
Wheelchair Accessible
No
-
Starting At (prices in USD)
$160
-
Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
-
Duration
Approximately 7 Hours
-
Meals Included
Meals not included
On his return to Paris from exile on Elba, Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte found Europe united against him. Nonetheless, in 1815, he took on two armies stationed in the Belgian provinces south of Waterloo, but British General Wellington roundly defeated the French and the Little Emperor's long reign was finally over. It is estimated that some 48,000 lives were lost in the Battle of Waterloo, with 10,000 bodies remaining on the battlefield. Napoleon's own fate was to be bundled off to St Helena, where he lived in exile and died in 1821.
An hour's drive through the Flemish countryside brings you to Waterloo. Watch for the Wellington Museum -- a vast building originally chosen by the British Military as the headquarters for its officers. The Duke of Wellington, commander-in-chief of the allied armies, stayed here in 1815.
The Lion Mound Monument is located at the heart of the Waterloo battlefield, on the front line where the French and English troops met. From the top of this small hill, you can view the entire battlefield -- the vast theatre on whose stage Napoleon's last battle was acted out, left intact to this day. A cast-iron lion is perched at the top of the 226 steps up the hill, a 130-foot-tall symbol of victory. It proclaims 'the peace that Europe won in the fields of Waterloo'. In 2015, the Lion Mound underwent a make-over in honor of the bicentenary anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo. Check out the new state-of-the-art museum, including a 3D spectacle (20 minutes) to experience the battle of Waterloo in all its grisly glory.
The magnificent Waterloo Panorama -- a canvas painted by Louis Dumoulin in 1912 (360 feet in circumference, and 40 feet tall -- depicts a key moment in the thick of the battle. On a 360° surface, Dumoulin has shown Polish Lancers, the charge of General Ney, Napoleon surrounded by his staff, and the resistance of the English squares around Wellington.
Hop aboard the shuttle for a short transfer to the newly-renovated Hougoumont Farm, generally accepted to be the last authentic witness to the Battle of Waterloo. Hougoumont Farm looks exactly as it did in the aftermath of the battle. Explore this place of memory, reflection and reconciliation, with its new layout focusing on the historic events at Hougoumont through various sequences, bas-reliefs and other documents.
Return to Antwerp by coach, with plenty of history to ponder.
Please note: Guests will have approximately 3 ½ hours to explore this site at their leisure. Lunch is not included in this tour, however food is available for purchase (at your own expense). To reach the Lion Mound guests will need to take 226 steps. Guests are free to decide if they want to climb the Lion Mound or not.