Waterloo 1815 Memorial facts for kids
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| Established | 2015 |
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| Location | Route du Lion, Braine-l'Alleud, Belgium |
The Waterloo 1815 Memorial is a special museum complex in Belgium. It's built right on the famous Waterloo battlefield. This amazing place includes a modern museum that opened in 2015. You can also visit the tall Lion's Mound, see the huge Panorama of the Battle of Waterloo painting, and explore the historic Hougoumont farm. It's all about learning about the famous Battle of Waterloo.
Where to Find the Memorial
The Memorial, the Lion's Mound, and the Panorama of the Battle of Waterloo are located on the northern part of the battlefield. They are along a road called the "Lion's Road" (Route du Lion). This area is in Braine-l'Alleud, a town in the Walloon Brabant province of Belgium.
The Hougoumont farm is a bit further away. You can find it to the southwest of the main complex. A path called the Chemin des Vertes Bornes leads to it.
The area around the Memorial has many other monuments. These monuments celebrate different groups who fought in the battle. Examples include the Monument to the Belgians and the Gordon Monument.
A Look at Its History
The Waterloo 1815 Memorial site brings together four main parts. Each part has its own interesting history:
- The Lion's Mound was built in 1826. It was requested by William I, the King of the Netherlands. He wanted to mark the spot where his son, the Prince of Orange, was thought to have been hurt during the battle.
- The Hougoumont farm was a key spot for the Allied forces. It saw very intense and deadly fighting during the battle.
- The rotunda of the Panorama of the Battle of Waterloo was built in 1911. It was designed by an architect named Franz Van Ophem.
- A new Memorial building opened on May 21, 2015. This was just before the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo.
The new Memorial was built to replace an older visitor center. People felt the old center was "outdated." The press described the new Memorial as a "rebirth" for the site. It showed that the Walloon Region understood how important this historical place was.
The construction of the Memorial cost about 40 million Euros. The Walloon Region helped pay for it. The exhibits inside the museum cost nearly 6 million Euros.
Since March 2019, a French company called Kléber Rossillon has managed the Memorial. This company also manages other important historical sites in France. They aim to attract many visitors to the Memorial each year.
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The Lion's Mound -
The Lion on top of the mound -
The rotunda of the Panorama
What You Can See and Do
The Memorial helps visitors understand the famous Battle of Waterloo. This battle led to Emperor Napoleon's defeat in 1815. It also honors the 40,000 soldiers who were killed or wounded.
The museum covers an area of 1,500 square meters. Inside, you can experience the battle's history in many ways. There are dioramas, which are 3D models of scenes. You can see old uniforms and historical objects. There are also animated maps and a movie shown on a 25-meter-wide 3D screen. You can even go on a treasure hunt and enjoy other multimedia activities.
One special exhibit is the skeleton of the Waterloo Soldier. This skeleton was found in 2012 during an archaeological dig. It likely belonged to a soldier who died during the battle.
Your ticket to the Memorial also gives you access to other parts of the site:
- The Lion's Mound is a 40-meter-high monument. It was built in 1826 to mark where the Prince of Orange was wounded.
- The rotunda of the Panorama of the Battle of Waterloo. This building holds a giant painting of the battle. The French artist Louis-Jules Dumoulin painted it in 1912.
- The Hougoumont farm is a fortified farm. It was a place of fierce fighting in 1815. Today, it hosts a multimedia show.
The company managing the site offers many fun activities. You can visit a bivouac, which is a temporary camp. Small historical scenes are acted out during the day. You can even take a horse-drawn carriage from the Memorial to Hougoumont farm. There are also horse demonstrations. Kids can try handling replica weapons and learn military marching.
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Dioramas with Allied troops on the left and French troops on the right
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Marshal General Jean-de-Dieu Soult and General Henri Gatien Bertrand
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The charge of the French cavalry led by Marshal Ney, in the Panorama rotunda
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