Durban cenotaph
Encyclopedia
The Durban cenotaph was erected in Farewell Square, Durban
, South Africa
, as a memorial to fallen soldiers of World War I
.
Standing about 11 metres (36 feet) high, the monument is built of granite
decorated with glazed ceramic tiles depicting two angels raising the soul of a dead soldier. The vivid colour of the figurative decoration makes the cenotaph
possibly unique among World War I memorials of its kind.
The design was the result of a competition in 1921, won by the Cape Town
architectural firm of Eagle, Pilkington and McQueen. The ceramics were made in England by Harold and Phoebe Stabler of the Poole Pottery
, and shipped to Durban for assembly: because this process took some time, the memorial was only unveiled in 1926.
The stone parts of the monument are handsomely designed in neoclassical
style: pillars supporting electric torches and granite urns surround the main structure. As with other Commonwealth
cenotaphs a wreath crowns the top, although in this case it is made of green ceramic. The legend "Tell it to the generation following" appears just below. A metal statue of a dead soldier lies stretched out on a plinth in front of the monument.
The cenotaph is set in a small garden walled in stone with memorial plaques and closed off from the street by a fence. The entrance to the garden, and the view of the front of the memorial, is guarded by a remarkable pair of large snarling Art Deco
lions on high plinths. The ceramic decoration, with its clear lines, strong colours and sunburst, is in the same style, of which Durban features many fine examples. The neoclassical and Art Deco elements work harmoniously together to make this one of the most striking and lavishly decorated memorials of its kind.
The cenotaph was the object of a bombing attack in June 1981, when a large granite basin behind the memorial was slightly damaged.
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, as a memorial to fallen soldiers of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Standing about 11 metres (36 feet) high, the monument is built of granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
decorated with glazed ceramic tiles depicting two angels raising the soul of a dead soldier. The vivid colour of the figurative decoration makes the cenotaph
Cenotaph
A cenotaph is an "empty tomb" or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been interred elsewhere. The word derives from the Greek κενοτάφιον = kenotaphion...
possibly unique among World War I memorials of its kind.
The design was the result of a competition in 1921, won by the Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
architectural firm of Eagle, Pilkington and McQueen. The ceramics were made in England by Harold and Phoebe Stabler of the Poole Pottery
Poole Pottery
Poole Pottery is a pottery manufacturer, originally based in Poole, Dorset, England. The company was founded in 1873 on Poole quayside, where it continued to produce pottery by hand before moving its factory operations away from the quay in 1999. Production continued at the new site in Sopers Lane...
, and shipped to Durban for assembly: because this process took some time, the memorial was only unveiled in 1926.
The stone parts of the monument are handsomely designed in neoclassical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
style: pillars supporting electric torches and granite urns surround the main structure. As with other Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
cenotaphs a wreath crowns the top, although in this case it is made of green ceramic. The legend "Tell it to the generation following" appears just below. A metal statue of a dead soldier lies stretched out on a plinth in front of the monument.
The cenotaph is set in a small garden walled in stone with memorial plaques and closed off from the street by a fence. The entrance to the garden, and the view of the front of the memorial, is guarded by a remarkable pair of large snarling Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
lions on high plinths. The ceramic decoration, with its clear lines, strong colours and sunburst, is in the same style, of which Durban features many fine examples. The neoclassical and Art Deco elements work harmoniously together to make this one of the most striking and lavishly decorated memorials of its kind.
The cenotaph was the object of a bombing attack in June 1981, when a large granite basin behind the memorial was slightly damaged.
See also
- CenotaphCenotaphA cenotaph is an "empty tomb" or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been interred elsewhere. The word derives from the Greek κενοτάφιον = kenotaphion...
- Shrine of RemembranceShrine of RemembranceThe Shrine of Remembrance, located in Kings Domain on St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Australia was built as a memorial to the men and women of Victoria who served in World War I and is now a memorial to all Australians who have served in war...
in MelbourneMelbourneMelbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria, Australia - Tomb of the Unknown SoldierTomb of the Unknown SoldierTomb of the Unknown Soldier refers to a grave in which the unidentifiable remains of a soldier are interred. Such tombs can be found in many nations and are usually high-profile national monuments. Throughout history, many soldiers have died in wars without their remains being identified...
- War memorialWar memorialA war memorial is a building, monument, statue or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or to commemorate those who died or were injured in war.-Historic usage:...