Here is a list of some of the most famous monuments and memorial buildings around the world
Gateway Arch
The Gateway Arch is a 630-foot-tall (192 m) monument in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Clad in stainless steel and built in the form of a weighted catenary arch, it is the world’s tallest arch. Built as a monument to the westward expansion of the United States and officially dedicated to “the American people”, the Arch, commonly referred to as “The Gateway to the West”, is a National Historic Landmark in Gateway Arch National Park and has also become an internationally recognized symbol of St. Louis.
Chronicle of Georgia
The Chronicle of Georgia (or History Memorial of Georgia) is a monument located near the Tbilisi Sea. It was created by Zurab Tsereteli in 1985 but was never fully finished. The monument sits at the top of a large set of stairs. 16 pillars are between 30–35 meters tall and the top half features kings, queens, and heroes while the bottom part depicts stories from the life of Christ. There is also a grapevine cross of St. Nino and a chapel.
De La Poer Tower, County Waterford, Ireland
De Le Poer Tower is a memorial construction inspired by the medieval Irish round tower. It was built in 1785 by the second Earl of Tyrone, George de la Poer Beresford, in memory of his eldest son Marcus.
Steilneset Memorial
The Steilneset Memorial was erected in memory of 91 victims of the witch trials held in Finnmark during the 17th century. The Steilneset Memorial, often called the “The Witches’ Memorial”, is a monument to 91 people who were burned as witches during the period of 1600 to 1692 in Vardø.
Bajra Sandhi Monument, Denpasar, Bali
Jewish Museum Berlin
The Jewish Museum Berlin was opened in 2001 and is the largest Jewish museum in Europe. On 3,500 square meters (38,000 square feet) of floor space, the museum presents the history of Jews in Germany from the Middle Ages to the present day, with new focuses and new scenography.
Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum
The Oklahoma City National Memorial is a memorial site in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States, that honors the victims, survivors, rescuers, and all who were affected by the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995.
Wallace Monument
Wallace Monument is a 67-meter tower on the shoulder of Abbey Craig, a hilltop overlooking Stirling in Scotland. It commemorates Sir William Wallace, a 13th- and 14th-century Scottish hero.
Azadi Tower
The Azadi Tower, formerly known as the Shahyad Tower, is a monument on Azadi Square in Tehran, Iran. It is one of the landmarks of Tehran, marking the west entrance to the city, and is part of the Azadi Cultural Complex, which also includes an underground museum.
USS Arizona Memorial
The USS Arizona Memorial, at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii, marks the resting place of 1,102 of the 1,177 sailors and Marines killed on USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and commemorates the events of that day.
Latin America Memorial
The Latin America Memorial is a cultural, political, and leisure complex, inaugurated in 1989, in São Paulo, Brazil. The architectural setting, designed by Oscar Niemeyer, is a monument to the cultural, political, social, and economic integration of Latin America, spanning an area of 84,482 square meters.
Hiroshima Peace Memorial
The Hiroshima Peace Memorial is part of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, Japan, and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. The ruin of the hall serves as a memorial to the over 140,000 people who were killed in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima at the end of World War II. It is permanently kept in a state of arrested ruin as a reminder of the destructive effects of nuclear warfare.
Castillo de Colomares
Castillo de Colomares is a monument dedicated to the adventures of Christopher Columbus. Its construction took place near Benalmádena in Spain, between 1987 and 1994. In just seven years, Dr. D. Esteban Martín and two masons managed to build the castle in their spare time.
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial
The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial is a national memorial located in West Potomac Park next to the National Mall in Washington, D.C., United States. It covers four acres and includes the Stone of Hope, a granite statue of Civil Rights Movement leader Martin Luther King Jr. carved by sculptor Lei Yixin.
Matthew Stanford Robison Memorial
The Matthew Stanford Robison Memorial, located in the Salt Lake City Cemetery, serves as a heartwarming tribute to Matthew Stanford Robison, a boy born blind and partially paralyzed due to oxygen deprivation at birth. Designed by his father, Ernest Robison, the memorial features a bronze sculpture of Matthew standing up from his wheelchair with his left hand raised toward the sky, symbolizing his liberation from earthly limitations. Matthew’s parents aimed to make his gravesite a place of joy and inspiration, reflecting their love and hope despite his premature death at age ten. In memory of their son, the Robisons also established a nonprofit organization, Ability Found, to assist individuals with disabilities in acquiring essential medical equipment. This organization continues to honor Matthew’s legacy by supporting those facing similar challenges.
Yad Vashem
Yad Vashem is Israel’s official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. It is dedicated to preserving the memory of the Jews who were murdered; echoing the stories of the survivors; honoring Jews who fought against their Nazi oppressors and Gentiles who selflessly aided Jews in need; and researching the phenomenon of the Holocaust in particular and genocide in general, with the aim of avoiding such events in the future.
The Scott Monument
Dedicated to Sir Walter Scott, the Scott Monument is one of the largest monuments dedicated to a writer as well as the most iconic landmarks in Edinburgh. The construction of the monument started in 1840, and it contains a marble sculpture of Scott and his beloved hound Maida at its center.
The Italian Charnel House in Kobarid, Slovenia
The Italian Charnel House is an ossuary that holds the remains of 7,014 Italian soldiers who fought in the Battles of the Isonzo, during World War I. The construction of the memorial building started in 1936, while Kobarid was an Italian territory. The design of the memorial comprises a small baroque chapel, dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua, which stands at the core of the three-story octagonal structure.
