Monuments play an integral part in any culture, helping us learn about past events while also acting as warnings about possible threats in the future.
Memorials can range in size and purpose – from commemorating one individual, or larger ones commemorating significant moments in history – with most towns and cities having at least some kind of memorial in their area.
Definition
Monuments are physical tributes that commemorate individuals, events, or places; often consisting of buildings, pillars, statues and gravestones, they serve as physical reminders to remember these important milestones in our lives. A monument can serve as a focal point in cities; design around it may focus around it while its design might even change to take advantage of this piece of cultural importance. The term monument also refers to art works or cultural objects with cultural value.
Many countries have laws outlining what qualifies as an historical monument, for example in the UK a monument must be classified as a Scheduled Ancient Monument regardless of age, size or history; even buildings constructed solely for other reasons can qualify if considered important enough.
Purpose
Monuments serve to remind us of significant aspects of history. Their meaning may change depending on who views it and their past experiences; some monuments can serve various political agendas from affirming dominance over certain groups to encouraging peaceful coexistence.
Examples of monumental structures are stone victory stelae and memorials dedicated to war veterans; fountains in formal gardens or town squares like Fontaines de la Concorde in Paris or Versailles; tombs or mausoleums; but it can also refer to structures with impressive dimensions or history such as Great Wall of China or Oradour-sur-Glane village in France.
Buildings deemed historical monuments by the State represent formal recognition of their preservation value, providing opportunities to exploit heritage through public access, appropriation of its value by general population and economic activity related to heritage.
Significance
Monuments are essential in providing historical records that can be passed along from generation to generation and serve as symbols of a nation and its people.
Monuments may hold meaning for certain individuals or groups, yet must also convey a universally understandable message to all members of society. Monuments can serve as reminders of significant events or act as symbolic representations of values within an entire society – for instance the many statues of Lenin in Soviet Russia being just such examples.
Government agencies often designate buildings as historical monuments, and the Library holds several such structures in its collection. These monuments could range from stone structures with intricate carvings or murals depicting city life to even being the namesake for an entire street or city block – often making an appearance at public events such as open days or European Heritage Days.
Expiration
Monuments may have the appearance of permanence; however, like any man-made object they will eventually reach their expiry date. Their makers leave behind evidence of their values and agendas that might no longer hold relevance in an evolving society; as time passes they may lose some of their meaning or legitimacy.
In France, for instance, properties classified as historical monuments cannot be sold without prior approval from either the national ‘Commission Nationale des Monuments Historiques’ (CNMH) or regional ‘Commission Regionale du Patrimoine et des Sites’ (CRPS). Once designated a historic monument, properties enter into the ISMH managed at regional and departmental levels by CRPS.
This database, initially developed by UDSH in 1996, holds text and images related to Utah’s historical markers and monuments. As part of an update process to meet citizen needs and researchers needs better, the existing records will be revised, while new data will also be added.
