Shrine of Remembrance, Melbourne
The Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne is one of the largest war memorials in the country, and commemorates Australians who have served in war.
The Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne is one of the largest war memorials in the country, and commemorates Australians who have served in war. It is the site of the annual Remembrance Day (11 November) observations, and the ANZAC Day Commemorative Service (25 April) that follows the march of veterans and current military personnel from Flinders Street to the shrine. The classical style monument is built in Tynong granodiorite, on a square plan surmounted by a stepped pyramid. The north and south facades feature wide stairways leading to porticos with Doric columns supporting sculptured pediments. Around the outer stone balustrade are the 16 stone discs representing the battle honours granted by King George V. The Remembrance Garden to the west has a pool, waterfall and granite wall with the names of the wars and peacekeeping operations in which Australia has participated after World War II.
The central sanctuary is surrounded by 16 Ionic black marble columns, with the architrave featuring 12 relief panels by Lyndon Dadswell depicting the armed services in action during World War I. At the centre is the marble Stone of Remembrance, upon which is engraved 'Greater love hath no man'. On Remembrance Day, a ray of light from the roof aperture illuminates the word 'love' at 12 noon. The crypt has a bronze statue of a soldier father and son representing the 2 generations that fought in the World Wars, and panels enumerating units of the Australian Imperial Force. Also under the shrine are the Galleries of Remembrance displaying over 800 artifacts, photographs, uniforms, personal effects, and art works that illustrate the experiences of Australian military personnel from the 1850s to the present day. The Gallery of Medals in the Visitor Centre has a 40 metre long wall with 4000 medals, representing Victorians in war and peacekeeping operations from the Boer War (1899-1902) to the present.
55 minute long guided tours of the complex are available daily at 11am and 2pm.
