The Cenotaph

The Cenotaph in Whitehall is a memorial to the million-odd British and Commonwealth soldiers killed during World War I. This monument of the people had humble beginnings. Originally built from wood and plaster it was intended as a small part of the Peace Day events of July 1919, but the memorial evoked such a passionate public response that a new permanent monument was erected 18 months later. The Cenotaph you see today was made from Portland stone by Sir Edwin Lutyens and although structurally sophisticated, it remains a modest and unadorned work of architecture. The Cenotaph is not just an emblem of soldiers' bravery but also of the grief that struck a nation. It now serves as the centrepiece for the Remembrance Day service in November and remains an enduring reminder of the futility of war.