The historic Battle of Waterloo on June 18, 1815, took place near the town of Waterloo, in present day Belgium, in the municipalities of Braine-l'Alleud and Lasne, about 15 km south of Brussels, and about 2 km from the town itself. The decisive battle marked the final defeat of French military leader and emperor Napoleon, who conquered much of continental Europe in the early 19th century. It was one of the bloodiest battle of the pre-twentieth-century that saw nearly 200,000 men from seven nations take part in the action. From the firing of the first gun to Napoleon's surrender nine hours later, 65,000 men were either dead or wounded.

Not much of the battlefield remains today. It’s mostly farmland now with a few memorials and monuments scattered throughout the area. The largest of these is located right at the heart of the battlefield, and is called the Lion's Mound.

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