
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 homes or other sites, or
works of art such as
sculpture
Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...
s,
statue
A statue is a free-standing sculpture in which the realistic, full-length figures of persons or animals are carved or Casting (metalworking), cast in a durable material such as wood, metal or stone. Typical statues are life-sized or close to ...
s,
fountains or
park
A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are urban green space, green spaces set aside for recreation inside t ...
s. Larger memorials may be known as
monuments.
Types
The most common type of memorial is the
gravestone or the
memorial plaque. Also common are
war memorials commemorating those who have died in wars. Memorials in the form of a cross are called
intending crosses.
Online memorials are often created on websites and social media to allow digital access as an alternative to physical memorials which may not be feasible or easily accessible.
When somebody has died, the family may request that a memorial gift (usually money) be given to a designated charity, or that a tree be planted in memory of the person. Those temporary or makeshift memorials are also called grassroots memorials.
[''Grassroots Memorials: The Politics of Memorializing Traumatic Death'', eds Peter Jan Margry and Cristina Sánchez-Carretero (New York: Berghahn, 2011).]
Sometimes, when a student has died, the memorials are placed in the form of a scholarship, to be awarded to high-achieving students in future years.
Memorials to persons or events of major significance may be designated as ''national memorials''.
Haymarket-martyrs-memorial-Forest-Home-Cemetery-IL.jpg, The '' Haymarket Martyrs' Monument'' at the Forest Home Cemetery in Forest Park, Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...
File:Martyrs Memorial. Algiers, Algeria.jpg, Maqam Echahid in Algiers
Algiers is the capital city of Algeria as well as the capital of the Algiers Province; it extends over many Communes of Algeria, communes without having its own separate governing body. With 2,988,145 residents in 2008Census 14 April 2008: Offi ...
, Algeria
Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered to Algeria–Tunisia border, the northeast by Tunisia; to Algeria–Libya border, the east by Libya; to Alger ...
File:Airport Disaster 20.06.11 Memorial near Petrozavodsk 3.JPG, The memorial monument of the 2011 airport disaster in Petrozavodsk, Republic of Karelia
File:Podlaskie - Białystok - Białystok - św. Rocha - Koścół św. Rocha - Tablica ofiarom katastrofy smoleńskiej 20120428 05.JPG, Memorial dedicated to the victims of the 2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash in Smoleńsk at the Church of St. Roch in Białystok
Białystok is the largest city in northeastern Poland and the capital of the Podlaskie Voivodeship. It is the List of cities and towns in Poland, tenth-largest city in Poland, second in terms of population density, and thirteenth in area.
Biał ...
, Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
File:Airborne Museum 'Hartenstein'.jpg, The Airborne Museum in Arnhem, Netherlands
, Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
commemorates the liberation of the city during World War II
File:Orthodox Cathedral of St. Andrew in South Bound Brook.jpg, St. Andrew Memorial Church in South Bound Brook, New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
, was built in 1965 to commemorate the victims of the Holodomor
File:Namantar Shahid Smarak Nagpur.jpg, Namantar Shahid Smarak commemorates the Namantar Andolan
File:Victoria Memorial situated in Kolkata.jpg, The Victoria Memorial of Kolkata
Kolkata, also known as Calcutta ( its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary ...
is an important monument of India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
File:Robison, Mathew Stanford FULL MONUMENT.jpg, The grave memorial for a ten year old disabled boy; Matthew Stanford Robison. Salt Lake City Cemetery Utah
Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...
.
File:Golconda Playground memorial.jpg, Homemade memorial in Brooklyn, NYC featuring a photo cut-out of the deceased giving the middle-finger
File:Lincoln Memorial (May 2014) crop.jpg, Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
.
File:Chiang Kai-shek memorial amk.jpg, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei
, nickname = The City of Azaleas
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, pushpin_map = Taiwan#Asia#Pacific Ocean#Earth
, coordinates =
, subdivision_type = Country ...
, Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
.
File:Anıtkabir, Ankara.jpg, Anıtkabir in Ankara
Ankara is the capital city of Turkey and List of national capitals by area, the largest capital by area in the world. Located in the Central Anatolia Region, central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5,290,822 in its urban center ( ...
, Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
.
File:Mausoleum of the Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah medium View.JPG, Mazar-e-Quaid in Karachi
Karachi is the capital city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Sindh, Pakistan. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, largest city in Pakistan and 12th List of largest cities, largest in the world, with a popul ...
, Pakistan
Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
.
See also
*
Lists of monuments and memorials
*
Ghost bike
*
Historical marker
*
Memorial bench
*
Memorialization
*
National monument
*
Public history
*
Roadside memorial
*
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
*
War memorial
A war memorial is a building, monument, statue, or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or (predominating in modern times) to commemorate those who died or were injured in a war.
Symbolism
Historical usage
It has ...
*
Culture of Remembrance
*
Skull Tower
References
External links
Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina
{{Authority control