.: das Völki und umgebung :.

Over the weekend, we had the chance to visit Leipzig and made a sojourn again to the hallowed grounds of the monument known as the Völkerschlachtdenkmal (apparently called ,,das Völki" locally for short), erected a century after a decisive battle of the armies in 1813 of the forces which we would later come to recognize as a united Germany and Russian troops that caused Napoleon's surrender on this front and help end the wars the French general had perpetrated across Europe.
The giant pyramid-like structure is impressive enough when viewed from the outside—taller than the Statue of Liberty, for reference, and this past centennial anniversary (October 2013, two hundred years after the Battle of the Nations) saw an extensive refurbishment to the interior of the crypt that restored the monument inside and out to its original neo-classic glory, somewhat of a precursor to the Art Deco movement.

It is one of the finest examples of the gigantic works commissioned by Kaiser Wilhelm to foster unity among the formerly divided factions of Germany, included in a list with the likes of the Kyffhäuser monument of Barbarossa in Thuringia, the Valhalla temple in Bavaria and the personification Germania depicted on the Niederwalddenkmal in Hessen.
The granite colossal figures that populate and stand watch over the tomb have allegorical meanings, and one accends a maze of stairwells and hidden passages to get to the upper levels, including steps that go through one of the statues, like the mysterious and protective architecture of the ancient Egyptians, whose inspiration is apparent.
Above, there is a towering cupola decorated in bas-relief mounted knights that opens up to an observation deck with sweeping views of the city below.  I am glad that we took the chance to appreciate this memorial site once again.