The Lion of Belfort, in Belfort, France, is a monumental sculpture by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, the sculptor of the Statue of Liberty (Liberty Enlightening the World). Overview Finished in 1880, it is made entirely of red sandstone. The blocks it is made from were individually sculpted, then moved under Belfort castle to be assembled. Twenty-two meters in length and 11 meters in height, the colossal work dominates the local landscape. The lion symbolizes the heroic French resistance during the Siege of Belfort, a 103-day Prussian assault (from December 1870 to February 1871). The city was protected from 40,000 Prussians by merely 17,000 men (of whom only 3,500 were from the military) led by Colonel Denfert-Rochereau. Instead of facing Prussia to the east as was intended, the statue was turned the other way following German protests. Smaller editions stand in the center of Place Denfert-Rochereau in Paris and in Downtown Montreal — Lion of Belfort (Montreal). Gallery See also List of tallest statues References External links Sculptures of lions Outdoor sculptures in France Buildings and structures in Belfort Mountain monuments and memorials 1880 sculptures Monuments and memorials in France Stone sculptures in France Sandstone sculptures Sculptures by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi Colossal statues