The copper lion of Skansen Lejonet

High above the roof of Skansen Lejonet, a copper lion stands four metres tall, gripping a shield and brandishing a sword. This figure was raised in 1893 to occupy the space where a different ornament once stood. That original piece, crafted by Marcus Jäger the Elder, featured a lion wearing a gilded crown. Though the reason for its disappearance remains a mystery, the crown was lost at some point during the two centuries following its creation.

To understand this site, we must look back to 1687 when construction began on a medieval castle site. Swedish military engineers designed the fortress to block artillery from the hills surrounding the young city of Gothenburg. While it was originally known as Skansen Westgötha Leijon to honor the province of Västergötland, local speech eventually simplified the name to Skansen Lejonet, or simply Lejonet.

Despite the growth of the surrounding city, this landmark remains a sturdy fixture of the landscape. It now sits within a railway marshalling yard, yet people can still reach it on foot. The property belongs to the fraternal order Götiska Förbundet, which continues to host private parties, weddings, and conferences there today.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons