Whitehall, Westminster, London SW1A 2ET
The Cenotaph
Battle & memorial
Place photograph
3.4
Wildland
Under 1 hour
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Cost
Atmospheric
Feel
Why it's Wildland
3.4Designed by Edwin Lutyens, the Cenotaph began as a temporary structure of wood and plaster for the Peace Day events of July 1919. After the public spontaneously covered it with wreaths, a permanent Portland-stone memorial was unveiled on Armistice Day, 11 November 1920.
The Cenotaph is a powerful historic landmark and a place of national remembrance, but it is a brief urban memorial visit rather than a wild landscape experience. Its strongest Wildland value lies in the story carried by the Portland stone and its continuing role in remembrance.
Atmospheric
Find your way
Open mapWhitehall, Westminster, London SW1A 2ET
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Know this place a little better?
The experience
Allow a short stop to view the Portland-stone memorial and consider how a temporary structure, built for a 1919 peace celebration, became the centre of a continuing national act of remembrance. The site is in central London; this is a heritage visit, not a countryside escape.
Things to do
See the Portland-stone memorial
View the permanent memorial unveiled on Armistice Day in 1920, replacing Edwin Lutyens’s temporary wood-and-plaster design.
Short stop
Consider the Cenotaph’s role in remembrance
The memorial became a focus for those whose relatives and friends died in the First World War without a known grave, and it remains the site of the annual National Service of Remembrance.
Short stop
Make a day of it
Quick escape · Under 1 hour
A moment at the memorial
- 01
Visit during reasonable daylight hours.
- 02
Take time to view the Portland-stone memorial and read its inscriptions.
- 03
Reflect on its origins as a temporary 1919 memorial and its continuing remembrance role.
Verified history
Edwin Lutyens designed the Cenotaph initially as a temporary structure of wood and plaster, erected for the Peace Day events of July 1919 at the request of Prime Minister David Lloyd George. Members of the public spontaneously covered it with wreaths; within a week, close to a million people had made the pilgrimage to pay their respects. Public response led to a permanent Portland-stone memorial, unveiled on Armistice Day, 11 November 1920. It is now the site of the annual National Service of Remembrance, commemorating military and civilian servicemen and women involved in the two World Wars and later conflicts.
When to go
Any month; check arrangements before visiting in November. · Reasonable daylight hours, as advised by English Heritage.
The memorial can be visited throughout the year during reasonable daylight hours. The annual National Service of Remembrance takes place in November; check for current arrangements before visiting then.
Check before visiting.
Worth pairing with
Jewel Tower
English Heritage lists Jewel Tower as 0.28 miles from the Cenotaph. Check its current visitor information before planning a visit.
Chapter House and Pyx Chamber
English Heritage lists this site as 0.31 miles from the Cenotaph. Check its current visitor information before planning a visit.
What to look for
Notice the restrained Portland-stone form and the inscriptions on the memorial. The supplied source supports its material and history but does not detail specific carvings or other hidden features.
The story
War & battle
Best time to go
Any time of year; check arrangements before visiting in November.
English Heritage advises visiting during reasonable daylight hours. Check for any changed arrangements before travelling, especially around the November National Service of Remembrance.
How long to spend
Under 1 hour
Perfect for
History lovers
Before you go
Address
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Listed hours
- Monday: Open 24 hours
- Tuesday: Open 24 hours
- Wednesday: Open 24 hours
- Thursday: Open 24 hours
- Friday: Open 24 hours
- Saturday: Open 24 hours
- Sunday: Open 24 hours
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Google rating
Practical information
Opening & access
English Heritage says the memorial is open during reasonable daylight hours. Check before visiting, particularly around the annual Remembrance service, when arrangements may differ.
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Parking
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Toilets
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Food & drink
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Dogs
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Accessibility
The supplied source information reports a wheelchair-accessible entrance. Check current conditions before visiting.
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Cost
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Gallery
Place photographsKeep exploring
Around The Cenotaph
Within 50 km · approximate straight-line distances
