Waterloo · the Lion's Mound in 3D

Walloon Brabant · the field of 1815

Braine-l'Alleud, Walloon Brabant, Belgium

The Lion's Mound was raised in 1824 to 1826 on the battlefield of Waterloo, where the Prince of Orange was wounded, from 300,000 cubic metres of the field's own soil. A 28-tonne cast-iron lion stands on top facing France. From the summit the whole field of 18 June 1815 reads at once, though taking the soil levelled part of Wellington's ridge.

Where: Braine-l'Alleud, Walloon Brabant, Belgium
Battle: 18 June 1815
Mound: Raised 1824 to 1826; 226 steps
Lion: Cast iron, 28 tonnes

Walk Waterloo · the Lion's Mound in 3D

A real-time 3D model, built from open elevation data and published measurements. Loads 2.7 MB when you start.

Works in VR on Meta Quest and other WebXR headsets: open this page in the headset's browser, start the 3D walk, then choose View in VR.

Waterloo · the Lion's Mound rendered in real-time 3D

Walk it yourself. Works on this phone.

Part of the Low Countries pack: a one-time unlock in this browser.

Terrain from open elevation data · a 3D reconstruction, not a photograph · tags as in the app

Hear the guide

The narrator from the app reads each tour stop. Transcripts below.

The lion
Known0:19

A 28-tonne cast-iron lion, paw on a globe, facing France. The mound was raised in 1824-26 where the Prince of Orange was wounded, from 300,000 cubic metres of battlefield soil.
The 226 steps
Known0:16

From the top the whole field of 18 June 1815 reads at once: the French line to the south, Wellington's ridge here, the farm of Hougoumont to the west.
A levelled ridge
Known0:13

Taking the soil for the mound shaved metres off Wellington's ridge and filled the sunken lane. Veterans complained the ground no longer looked like the battle they remembered.

How to visit Waterloo · the Lion's Mound

The mound and a battlefield museum are south of Brussels, reached by road or by bus from Braine-l'Alleud station. The 226 steps to the lion are steep.

Access, seasons and permits change: check locally before you go.

Open Waterloo · the Lion's Mound in Farstep

The full site on your phone: a narrated guided tour, passport stamps, offline, and smoother graphics than a browser can give.

Narrated guided tour, stop by stop, in nine languages
Passport stamps for every hotspot and finished tour
Works offline once installed
Stonehenge free; other sites are one-time packs. No ads, no subscription.

Open in Farstep

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Waterloo · the Lion's Mound: questions and answers

How many steps does the Lion's Mound at Waterloo have?

226 steep steps lead to the 28-tonne cast-iron lion on top.

Why was the Lion's Mound built?

It was raised in 1824 to 1826 where the Prince of Orange was wounded at the Battle of Waterloo, 18 June 1815.

Can I walk around Waterloo · the Lion's Mound in 3D?

Yes, in your browser. Everything on this page is free to read. Walking Waterloo · the Lion's Mound in 3D is part of the Low Countries pack: a one-time purchase with no subscription, and signing in with the same account unlocks it in the Farstep app too.

Can I walk Waterloo · the Lion's Mound in VR?

Yes, on a Meta Quest or another WebXR headset: open this page in the headset's browser, start the 3D walk, then choose View in VR. The left stick walks, the right stick turns and the trigger opens the fact cards.