The Winged Lion Memorial stands in the small park at Klárov in Malá Strana, right beside the Malostranská metro station and a short walk from the river. Many visitors pass it on their way up to Prague Castle without knowing what it is, which is a pity, because the story behind it is one of the more moving ones in the city.
What the Memorial Commemorates
The monument is dedicated to the Czechoslovak airmen who served in the British Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Around 2,500 men left occupied Czechoslovakia and flew or worked as ground crew with the RAF. After the communist takeover in 1948 many of them were persecuted at home instead of being honoured. The memorial was unveiled in 2014 as a gift from the British community living in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, as a belated thank you.
The Sculpture
The two-metre-high winged lion is the work of the contemporary British sculptor Colin Spofforth. It was cast in bronze at an art foundry in Horní Kalná in the Hradec Králové Region. The lion, the heraldic animal of the Czech lands, stands on a concrete plinth faced with Czech granite. Seen from above, the circular pedestal resembles the roundel insignia of the Czech Air Force, and the side panels with their rows of rivets imitate the fuselage of aircraft of the period.
The memorial was renovated in July 2019, and I photographed it shortly afterwards. Here you can see it with the surrounding park.
How to Get There
Take metro line A to Malostranská or a tram to the stop of the same name. The memorial is in the green triangle of Klárov, just outside the station, and is freely accessible at any time. From here it is a few minutes on foot to the Mánes Bridge and the riverbank, to the Wallenstein Garden, or to the Old Castle Stairs leading up to Prague Castle, so it fits easily into a walk through Malá Strana.
Photographing the Winged Lion
The statue is surrounded by trees and by busy roads and tram lines, so the main challenge is the background. Walk around it before you shoot: from a low angle you can place the lion against the sky and the tree crowns and hide the traffic completely. The spread wings make a strong shape in profile, while a three-quarter view from the front shows the face and the detail of the mane.
Because of the trees, direct sunlight reaches the bronze only in patches in summer; overcast days or the soft light of early morning and late afternoon give more even results and bring out the texture of the metal. Please remember that this is a war memorial and treat it with respect when you photograph it.
Planning more stops in the city? Browse more Prague guides for other places worth visiting and photographing.
