Jonas Ademes Selected to Design Monument in Memory of Grand Duke Jean

On Friday 3 July 2026, the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, represented by the Prime Minister Luc Frieden, announced the selection of Jonas Ademes as winner of the competition for the design, execution and installation of a monument in memory of Grand Duke Jean.

The Ministry of State reported this selection follows a two-stage pre-selection procedure carried out by a selection committee responsible for assessing applications and proposing the shortlisted preliminary designs.

The ministry said the project formed part of a call for applications launched in June 2025, aimed at honouring Grand Duke Jean, whose personality remains deeply rooted in the heart of the nation and whose reign left a lasting mark on the history of Luxembourg.

Jonas Ademes’ project was distinguished by its artistic quality, its strong fidelity to the figure of Grand Duke Jean, and its ability to reveal aspects of his character beyond mere appearance. The work also convinced the jury through the expressiveness of the face, the accuracy of the posture, and its harmonious integration into the setting of the Édouard André municipal park.

Born in 1991 in Bitburg, Germany, Jonas Ademes grew up near the Luxembourg border and maintains a close personal connection with the Grand Duchy, notably through his grandmother, who originates from Medernach. Trained in Germany and Italy, where he collaborated with renowned workshops, Ademes holds the qualification of master sculptor. He is currently based in Aschaffenburg, Germany.

The ministry remarked that Jonas Ademes’ project is characterised by a human and accessible approach to Grand Duke Jean. The monument is intended not to be a distant symbol of power, but a lasting gesture of closeness. It breaks with the image of an inaccessible sovereign to highlight the man behind the historical figure, embodying humility, kindness and a sense of the common good.

The sculpture, depicting Grand Duke Jean in civilian dress, will be installed in the Édouard André municipal park, in the Parc Pescatore section, between the Pescatore Foundation and the panoramic lift to Pfaffenthal. It will face the park and offer, in the background, a view of the Eich hillside, the Park Trois Glands and Mudam Luxembourg, as well as the Kirchberg plateau.

Designed to sit at eye level, the sculpture invites visitors to the park to engage in an intimate and respectful encounter with the memory of Grand Duke Jean. The ministry said the work emphasises his simplicity and his closeness to the Luxembourg people.

The ministry noted that the location of the monument was chosen in order to establish a visual link between the figure of Grand Duke Jean, the Kirchberg European quarter – reflecting his commitment to Luxembourg and the European Union – and the museum bearing his name, in tribute to his reign. The sculpture will blend naturally into the landscape, as a discreet yet fully integrated element of citizens’ everyday environment in Luxembourg.

Work on the monument will begin in the coming months, with an inauguration scheduled for mid-2027.