Shrine of RemembrancePrint Page

The Shrine of Remembrance commemorates those from Victoria who served and died in World War One.  This monument has been declared a “Military Memorial of National Significance” under the Military Memorials of National Significance Act 2008.

The Shrine of Remembrance is Victoria’s principal war memorial and the focus for commemorative ceremonies and marches. It was built between July 1928 and November 1934 in remembrance of the 114 000 men and women of Victoria who served, and those who died, in World War One. 

The marble mausoleum is modelled partly on the design of the monument erected in 353 BC at Halicarnassus by Queen Artemisia in memory of her husband King Mausolus. The Tympana are sculptures at the northern and souther ends of the Shrine. The Northern Tympana is "The call to arms" and shows a winged goddess symbolic of Mother England is calling her children to defend her. The Southern Tympana is "The Homecoming" showing Australia at peace. At each corner of the Shrine, buttresses support a large statues sculpted by Paul Montford and are titled Patriotism, Justice, Peace and Goodwill, and Sacrifice.

The Duke of Gloucester dedicated Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance at the Domain before an audience of over 300,000 people.

All plans have been completed for the dedication of the Shrine of Remembrance on November 11. The ceremony, in which the Duke of Gloucester will take part, will be made the most important and impressive of the Centenary celebrations. Between 9 a.m. and 11.45 a.m. on November 11, approximately 30,000 returned soldiers will assemble at the Melbourne Grammar Schoolgrounds. They will be played into position at the Shrine by massed bands. During the wait for the arrival of His Excellency the Governor (Lord Huntingfield) and the Duke of Gloucester, at 11.45 a.m., the massed choirs will sing hymns. The Duke of Gloucester and party will be met at the steps of the Shrine by the chairman of the Centenary Celebrations Council (Sir Harold Gengoult Smith).  Gunfire and bugle calls will announce the two minutes' silence,after which the dedication by the Duke of Gloucester will take place. The Duke of Gloucester will unveil a commemorative stone on a pillar on the south-eastern side of the Shrine. The stone will be draped with a Union Jack which was at one time used at the Cenotaph, Whitehall, London. An impressive feature of the ceremony will be the release of 20,000 pigeons from the upper gallery of the Shrine.
Australasian (Melbourne), 22 September 1934.

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Dedication