Gëlle Fra (Golden Lady), Luxembourg

As you enter Constitution Square, look for the tall stone monument rising above the open plaza. This is the Gëlle Fra, Luxembourgish for the “Golden Lady,” one of Luxembourg City’s best-known memorials. The square occupies the site of the former Beck Bastion, part of the city’s old fortress system, and overlooks the deep Pétrusse Valley below.

At the center of the memorial stands a 21-meter-high granite obelisk. Look all the way to the top, where a gilded bronze female figure holds a laurel wreath above her head. Representing victory and peace, she gives the monument its familiar name. The memorial was created by Luxembourgish sculptor Claus Cito and unveiled in 1923.

The monument originally honored Luxembourgers who volunteered to fight with the Allied forces during the First World War. Luxembourg itself had been occupied by Germany and remained officially neutral, but more than 3,000 Luxembourgers living abroad joined the French armed forces. Many were killed or wounded. At the base of the obelisk, notice the bronze figures representing those who fought and those who mourned them.

During the German occupation in 1940, the monument became a powerful symbol of Luxembourgish national identity. Nazi authorities dismantled it, and the Golden Lady disappeared. Parts of the statue were finally rediscovered in 1980 beneath the stands of Luxembourg’s national football stadium, and the restored monument was returned to Constitution Square in 1985. Today, it also commemorates Luxembourg’s soldiers who served during the Second World War and the Korean War.

Now, walk toward the edge of the square and look across the valley. Below you are the green paths of Pétrusse Park, while the impressive Adolphe Bridge spans the valley to your right. The entrances to the Pétrusse Casemates, part of Luxembourg’s historic underground defenses, are also nearby.

Finally, step back far enough to take in the entire monument from base to summit. During the Christmas market season, a Ferris wheel is often installed nearby, offering an unusually close elevated view of the Golden Lady and the surrounding city.