Visitors to the Battle of the Nations Monument in Leipzig can now also view the foundation of the 91-meter-tall structure. Until now, the base of the monument was only accessible during guided tours, and an exhibition housed there could only be visited on rare occasions, according to the Leipzig Museum of City History.
The area is now freely accessible—without guided tours or advance registration. According to the museum, construction work on the monument’s foundation took a year. Among other things, a metal staircase was installed as a second emergency exit to make the area freely accessible. The exhibition on the concept, history, and use of the monumental structure has been expanded with new exhibits to coincide with the opening of the base area. On display there are a commemorative stone—a so-called “Apelstein”—a wreath, and an inscription plaque.
The Monument to the Battle of the Nations was opened in 1913 to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Nations and is officially part of the Leipzig Museum of City History. Since 2003, approximately 32 million euros have been invested to repair war damage, weather damage, and outdated technical infrastructure.
