This bronze sculpture depicts the Prince of Homburg from the play of the same name, written by the German poet Heinrich von Kleist between 1809 and 1811. Kleist lived and worked in Thun for several months in 1802 and 1803.

In 1983, a monument to the poet (1777-1811) was built on the way to the island on which the house he occupied was located. The sculptor Urban Thiersch created a bronze sculpture depicting the Prince of Homburg from the play of the same name. The figure of the prince is realistically depicted and shows him thoughtfully weaving a laurel wreath. At the end of the play, the wreath is placed on him as a symbol of recognition. Thiersch is presumably making reference to Kleist, to whom recognition was largely denied during his lifetime.