Memorial gates and arches are architectural monuments in the form of gates and arches or other entrances, constructed as a

memorial A memorial is an object or place which serves as a focus for the memory or the commemoration of something, usually an influential, deceased person or a historical, tragic event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects such as home ...

, often dedicated to a particular war though some are dedicated to individuals. The function, and very often the

architectural form In architecture, form refers to a combination of external appearance, internal structure, and the Unity (aesthetics), unity of the design as a whole, an order created by the architect using #Space and mass, space and mass. External appearance Th ...

, is similar to that of a Roman

triumphal arch A triumphal arch is a free-standing monumental structure in the shape of an archway with one or more arched passageways, often designed to span a road, and usually standing alone, unconnected to other buildings. In its simplest form, a triumphal ...

, with the emphasis on remembrance and commemoration of war casualties, on marking a civil event (the country's independence, for example), or on providing a monumental entrance to a city, as opposed to celebrating a military success or general, though some memorial arches perform both functions. They can vary in size, but are commonly monumental stone structures combining features of both an archway and a gate, often forming an entrance or straddling a roadway, but sometimes constructed in isolation as a standalone structure, or on a smaller scale as a local memorial to war dead. Although they can share architectural features with triumphal arches, memorial arches and gates constructed from the 20th century onwards often have the names of the dead inscribed on them as an act of commemoration.

Memorial gates

Europe

Belgium

Menin Gate The Menin Gate (), officially the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing, is a war memorial in Ypres, Belgium, dedicated to the British and Commonwealth soldiers who were killed in the Ypres Salient of World War I and whose graves are unknown. The m ...

Ypres Ypres ( ; ; ; ; ) is a Belgian city and municipality in the province of West Flanders. Though the Dutch name is the official one, the city's French name is most commonly used in English. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres/Ieper ...

France

* Porte Désilles, Nancy

Germany

Brandenburg Gate The Brandenburg Gate ( ) is an 18th-century Neoclassical architecture, neoclassical monument in Berlin. One of the best-known landmarks of Germany, it was erected on the site of a former city gate that marked the start of the road from Berlin t ...

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

United Kingdom

* University of Glasgow Memorial Gates,

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

* Memorial Gates, London File:Ieper Menenpoort R05.jpg,

, Belgium File:Porte Désilles, Nancy, Lorraine, France - panoramio.jpg, Porte Désilles, Nancy, France File:Berlin - 0266 - 16052015 - Brandenburger Tor.jpg,

, Berlin, Germany

North America

Canada

* Memorial Gates (University of Saskatchewan),

Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...

Roddick Gates The Roddick Gates, also known as the Roddick Memorial Gates, are monumental gates in Montreal that serve as the main entrance to the McGill University campus. They are located on Sherbrooke Street West and are at the northern end of the very s ...

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

United States

* Hurlbut Memorial Gate,

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

* Confederate Memorial Gates in Mayfield * Confederate Memorial Gateway in Hickman * Soldiers Memorial Gate (

Brown University Brown University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is the List of colonial colleges, seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the US, founded in 1764 as the ' ...

) File:UofSMemorialGates.jpg, University of Saskatchewan Memorial Gates,

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada. It is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and to the south by the ...

, Canada File:Hurlbut Memorial Gate Detroit MI.jpg, Hurlbut Memorial Gate,

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

, USA File:Confederate Memorial Gateway in Hickman.JPG, Confederate Memorial Gateway,

Hickman, Kentucky Hickman is a city in and the county seat of Fulton County, Kentucky, Fulton County, Kentucky, United States. Located on the Mississippi River, the city had a population of 2,365 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census and is classifie ...

, USA File:Das östliche Eingangstor der Brown University.jpg, Soldiers Memorial Gate,

Providence, Rhode Island Providence () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Rhode Island, most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The county seat of Providence County, Rhode Island, Providence County, it is o ...

, USA

Memorial arches

Asia

Afghanistan

* Taq-e Zafar (Arch of Victory) (1928), Paghman

Canton

* Triumphal arch at the

19th Route Army 19th Route Army () was an army in the Republic of China led by General Cai Tingkai. It gained a good reputation among the Chinese for fighting the Japanese in Shanghai in the January 28 Incident in 1932. In 1933-34, it was the main force in the ...

cemetery, Canton, Gwongdung

India

India Gate The India Gate (formerly known as All India War Memorial) is a war memorial located near the Rajpath (officially called Kartavya Path, Kartavya path) on the eastern edge of the "ceremonial axis" of New Delhi, India, New Delhi. It stands as a m ...

(1931),

New Delhi New Delhi (; ) is the Capital city, capital of India and a part of the Delhi, National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the Government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Parliament ...

Gateway of India The Gateway of India is an arch-monument completed in 1924 on the waterfront of Mumbai (Bombay), India. It was erected to commemorate the landing of George V for his coronation as the Emperor of India in December 1911 at Strand Road near We ...

(1924),

Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...

Sabhyata Dwar The Sabhyata Dwar or Civilization Gate is a sandstone arch monument located on the banks on River Ganga in the city of Patna in the States of India, Indian state of Bihar. The Sabhyata Dwar is built with a Mauryan art#Architecture, Mauryan-styl ...

(2018),

Patna Patna (; , ISO 15919, ISO: ''Paṭanā''), historically known as Pataliputra, Pāṭaliputra, is the List of state and union territory capitals in India, capital and largest city of the state of Bihar in India. According to the United Nations, ...

Iraq

* Swords of Qādisīyah ( Victory Arch) (1989),

Baghdad Baghdad ( or ; , ) is the capital and List of largest cities of Iraq, largest city of Iraq, located along the Tigris in the central part of the country. With a population exceeding 7 million, it ranks among the List of largest cities in the A ...

North Korea

* Arch of Triumph (1982),

Pyongyang Pyongyang () is the Capital city, capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is sometimes labeled as the "Capital of the Revolution" (). Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. Accordi ...

Saudi Arabia

* Mecca Gate (1979),

Jeddah Jeddah ( ), alternatively transliterated as Jedda, Jiddah or Jidda ( ; , ), is a List of governorates of Saudi Arabia, governorate and the largest city in Mecca Province, Saudi Arabia, and the country's second largest city after Riyadh, located ...

* Al-Abtal Gate (2013),

Riyadh Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of the Riyadh Governorate. Located on the eastern bank of Wadi Hanifa, the current form of the metropolis largely emerged in th ...

File:Taq-e-Zafar+.jpg, The Taq-e Zafar (Arch of Victory) in the gardens of Paghman near

Kabul Kabul is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. Located in the eastern half of the country, it is also a municipality, forming part of the Kabul Province. The city is divided for administration into #Districts, 22 municipal districts. A ...

, Afghanistan, built to commemorate Afghan independence after the

Third Anglo-Afghan War The Third Anglo-Afghan War was a short war which began on 3 May and ended on 8 August 1919. The new Amir of the Emirate of Afghanistan Amanullah Khan declared a Jihad against the British in the hope to proclaim full independence, as well as ...

in 1919 File:十九路軍抗日陣亡將士墳園凱旋門正面.jpg, The triumphal arch at the

cemetery in Canton, built in 1932, vandalised during the Chinese

Cultural Revolution The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a Social movement, sociopolitical movement in the China, People's Republic of China (PRC). It was launched by Mao Zedong in 1966 and lasted until his de ...

File:India Gate in New Delhi 03-2016.jpg, The

, built in 1921–1931, is a war memorial located near the

Rajpath Rajpath (), officially named Kartavya Path (), and formerly known as Kingsway, is a ceremonial boulevard in New Delhi, India, that runs from Rashtrapati Bhavan on Raisina Hill through Vijay Chowk and India Gate, National War Memorial to N ...

, on the eastern edge of the "ceremonial axis" of

, India. File:Mumbai 03-2016 30 Gateway of India.jpg, The

is an arch-monument built in 1913–1924 in

, India, to commemorate the landing of Emperor

George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936. George w ...

, the first

British monarch The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the form of government used by the United Kingdom by which a hereditary monarch reigns as the head of state, with their powers regulated by the British con ...

to the country, in December 1911. File:Heroes Gate Riyadh, Dec 2023.jpg, Al-Abtal Gate in

, Saudi Arabia, was built in 2013 to commemorate the Battle of Riyadh in 1902

Europe

Belgium

* Cinquantenaire Arcade (1905),

Brussels Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...

France

Thiepval Memorial The Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme is a war memorial to 72,337 missing British and South African servicemen who died in the Battles of the Somme of the First World War between 1915 and 1918, with no known grave. It is near the ...

(1932), Thiepval

Germany

Siegestor The Siegestor () in Munich is a three-arched memorial arch, crowned with a statue of Bavaria with a lion-quadriga. The monument was originally dedicated to the glory of the Bavarian army. Since its restoration following World War II, it now stan ...

(1850),

Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...

Ireland

* Fusiliers' Arch (1907),

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...

Italy

* Arco della Vittoria (1931),

Genoa Genoa ( ; ; ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. As of 2025, 563,947 people live within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 818,651 inhabitan ...

North Macedonia

* Porta Macedonia (2012),

Skopje Skopje ( , ; ; , sq-definite, Shkupi) is the capital and largest city of North Macedonia. It lies in the northern part of the country, in the Skopje Basin, Skopje Valley along the Vardar River, and is the political, economic, and cultura ...

Portugal

Rua Augusta Arch The Rua Augusta Arch (Portuguese: ''Arco da Rua Augusta'') is a stone, memorial arch-like, historical building and visitor attraction in Lisbon, Portugal, on the ''Praça do Comércio''. It was built to commemorate the city's reconstruction afte ...

(1873),

Lisbon Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...

Spain

Arc de Triomf The Arc de Triomf (), translated: Arch of Victory, is a memorial arch in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It was built by architect Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas as the main access gate for the 1888 Barcelona World Fair. The arch crosses over the wi ...

(1888),

Barcelona Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...

United Kingdom

* Arch of Remembrance (1925), WWI memorial in

Leicester Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area, and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest city in the East Midlands with a popula ...

* City War Memorial (1927), WWI memorial in

Nottingham Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located south-east of Sheffield and nor ...

File:Brussels_Cinquantenaire_R03.jpg, The Cinquantenaire Arcade in

, Belgium, built for the ''National Exhibition'' of 1880 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Belgian independence File:Siegestor bei Nacht.JPG, The

, Germany, a Bavarian army monument, destroyed in

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

but partially rebuilt as a reminder for peace File:Porta Macedonia, Skopie, Macedonia del Norte, 2014-04-16, DD 105.jpg, Porta Macedonia in

, North Macedonia, is dedicated to 20 years of Macedonian independence, 2012 File:Lisbon Praça do Comércio BW 2018-10-03 13-33-44 s.jpg, The

Praça do Comércio The Praça do Comércio (; ) is a large, harbour-facing plaza in Portugal's capital, Lisbon, and is one of the largest in Portugal, with an area of 175 by 175 m (574 by 574 ft), that is, 30,600 m2 (329,000 ft2). Facing the Tagus () to the South, ...

, Lisbon, Portugal, built to commemorate the city's reconstruction after the 1755 earthquake File:Barcelona - Arc de Triomf (2).JPG, The

, Spain, built in 1888 as the main access gate for the 1888 Barcelona World Fair

North America

Canada

Peace Arch The Peace Arch () is a monument situated near the westernmost point of the Canada–United States border in the contiguous United States, between the communities of Blaine, Washington and Surrey, British Columbia, Surrey, British Columbia. Cons ...

(1921), Canada–US border * National War Memorial (1939),

Ottawa Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...

Royal Military College of Canada The Royal Military College of Canada (), abbreviated in English as RMC and in French as CMR, is a Military academy#Canada, military academy and, since 1959, a List of universities in Canada#Ontario, degree-granting university of the Canadian ...

Memorial Arch, Kingston

Mexico

Monumento a la Revolución The Monument to the Revolution () is a memorial arch commemorating the Mexican Revolution. It is located in the Plaza de la República, near the heart of the major thoroughfares Paseo de la Reforma and Avenida de los Insurgentes in downtown M ...

(1938),

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

United States

Memorial Arch of Tilton The Memorial Arch of Tilton, sometimes referred to as Tilton's Folly,Jones 2006, p. 156. or simply the Tilton Arch is a historic arch on Elm Street in Northfield, New Hampshire, United States, on a hill overlooking the town of Tilton. The was b ...

(1882),

Northfield, New Hampshire Northfield is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,872 at the 2020 census. History European settlers first arrived in Northfield in the early 1700s. Initially, Northfield was incorporated as part of ...

Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch in Bushnell Park, Hartford, Connecticut, honors the 4,000 Hartford citizens who served in the American Civil War, including 400 who died for the Union cause. It is notable as the first permanent memorial ...

(1886),

Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The city, located in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, had a population of 121,054 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...

Washington Square Arch The Washington Square Arch, officially the Washington Arch, is a marble memorial arch in Washington Square Park, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Lower Manhattan, New York City. Designed by architect Stanford White in 1891, it commemo ...

(1892), Manhattan, New York City * War Correspondents Memorial Arch (1896),

Gathland State Park Gathland State Park is a public recreation area and historic preserve located on South Mountain near Burkittsville, Maryland, in the United States. The state park occupies the former estate of war correspondent George Alfred Townsend (1841-191 ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...

* Confederate Memorial (1902),

Fulton, Kentucky Fulton is a home rule-class city in Fulton County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 2,357 at the 2020 census, down from 2,445 at the 2010 census. It was once known as the "Banana Capital of the World", because 70% of imported ban ...

* Confederate Soldier Memorial (1902),

Columbus, Ohio Columbus (, ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Ohio, most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 United States census, 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the List of United States ...

* Smith Memorial Arch (1912), West Fairmount Park,

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

Pennsylvania State Memorial, Gettysburg The Pennsylvania State Memorial is a monument in Gettysburg National Military Park that commemorates the 34,530 Pennsylvania soldiers who fought in the July 1 to 3, 1863 Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War. The memorial stands ...

(1914), Pennsylvania *

National Memorial Arch The National Memorial Arch is a monument located in Valley Forge National Historical Park of Upper Merion Township, Pennsylvania. The Memorial gates and arches, memorial arch honors the arrival of General George Washington and the Continental A ...

(1917), Valley Forge, Pennsylvania * Victory Arch (1919), Macarty Square,

New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

{{Cite web, url=http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~neworleans/military/, title=World War I, Victory Arch, New Orleans, Louisiana, website=freepages.rootsweb.com * Victory Gate (1919, razed 1920), Madison Square Park, Manhattan, New York City * Rosedale World War I Memorial Arch (1924),

Kansas City The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more t ...

Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...

* Memorial Arch (1924),

Huntington, West Virginia Huntington is a city in Cabell County, West Virginia, Cabell and Wayne County, West Virginia, Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The County seat, seat of Cabell County, the city is located at the confluence of the Ohio River, O ...

Gateway Arch The Gateway Arch is a monument in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Clad in stainless steel and built in the form of a weighted catenary Catenary arch, arch, it is the world's tallest arch and List of tallest buildings in Missouri, Missouri's ...

(1965),

St. Louis St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a populatio ...

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

File:Monumento a la Revolución Mexico.jpg,

, Mexico, the tallest memorial arch in the world, 1938 File:South face - Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch, Bushnell Park, Hartford, CT.JPG,

, USA File:Washington Square by Matthew Bisanz.JPG,

, Manhattan, New York City, USA File:NationalMemorialArch ValleyForge.jpg, National Memorial Arch, a Revolutionary War memorial in

Valley Forge National Historical Park Valley Forge National Historical Park is the site of the third winter encampment of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War from December 19, 1777 to June 19, 1778. The National Park Service preserves the site and interprets ...

Chester County, Pennsylvania Chester County (Pennsylvania Dutch language, Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Tscheschter Kaundi''), colloquially referred to as Chesco, is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is located in ...

, USA File:St Louis Gateway Arch.jpg,

, USA

Africa

Ghana

Black Star Gate The Black Star Gate is part of the Independence Square now known as the Black Star Square in Accra. It is located at the center of the square where parades are held. The Black Star Gate is a monument topped by the Black Star of Africa. The five-p ...

(1961),

Black Star Square Black Star Square, also known as Independence Square, is a public square in Accra, Ghana, bordered by the Accra Sports Stadium and the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park. The square often hosts the annual independence celebrations as well as other natio ...

Accra Accra (; or ''Gaga''; ; Ewe: Gɛ; ) is the capital and largest city of Ghana, located on the southern coast at the Gulf of Guinea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2021 census, the Accra Metropolitan District, , had a population of ...

File:Independence_Arch_-_Accra,_Ghana1.jpg,

, Ghana

References

External links

Memorial Arch at Stanford UniversityRugby's War Memorial Gates
Types of monuments and memorials Gates Arches and vaults