The Cenotaph, Singapore

The Cenotaph is an important war memorial erected in honour of the many people who sacrificed their lives during World War I and II.

Located along Connaught Drive within Esplanade Park, this monument was unveiled in March 1922 by the Prince of Wales and was gazetted as a Singapore national monument in 2010.

The Cenotaph, 5 Steps, History, Granite World War Memorial, Singapore

It was designed by renowned architect Denis Santry of the Swan & Maclaren firm, who was inspired by London’s Whitehall Cenotaph. Predominantly made with local granite, the 18-meter high memorial also features bronze tablets on which inscriptions of names of those who perished during the war are written.

The five steps that lead up to the monument indicate the years of war, specifically 1914 through 1918. A sarcophagus crowns the structure, which features bronze handles adorned with lion’s heads. A bronze medallion is found below, where a laurel wreath was designed as a symbol of victory as well as the crown colony. Further below are the words, ‘The Glorious Dead’.

The saying, ‘They died that we might live,’ is etched in four languages: English, Chinese, Tamil, and Malay. Both sides of the structure also feature 14 pylons, which showcase the names of the war battles.

The Cenotaph is a simple, yet striking and elegant structure, but one that holds major significance to the soldiers that gave their lives for the freedom of others. Highly recommended for anyone who is interested to learn more about Singapore’s history.