Völkerschlachtdenkmal

The Völkerschlachtdenkmal or Monument to the Battle of the Nations is a monument to the 1813 Battle of Leipzig, also known as the Battle of the Nations. It was paid for mostly by donations and by the city of Leipzig, and was completed in 1913 for the 100th anniversary of the battle, at a cost of 6,000,000 Goldmark.

Between 16th to the19th of October 1813, the Battle of the Nations was fought by the coalition armies of Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden against the French army of Napoleon aided by Polish and Italian troops as well as German-speakers from the Confederation of the Rhine. Napoleon's army was defeated and compelled to return to France while the Allies invaded France early the next year. Napoleon was forced to abdicate, and was exiled to Elba that spring.