The Cenotaph in Hong Kong

The Cenotaph in Hong Kong

The Cenotaph is a monument in Hong Kong, located on Chater Road in Central. Erected in 1923, it was originally built to commemorate soldiers who died during World War I. After World War II, it was rededicated to honor those who perished in both world wars. The monument holds significant historical value, and has been listed as a Grade I historic building by the Antiquities and Monuments Office of Hong Kong.

The design of the Cenotaph is modeled after the London Cenotaph in Whitehall, created by Sir Edwin Lutyens and completed in 1920. Similar monuments in Bermuda and Auckland also adopt the same design. What sets the Hong Kong Cenotaph apart is that it is built atop a cross-shaped flight of steps, surrounded by lawns that are usually closed off, accentuating the monument’s solemnity and reverence.

On the front and back of the monument, there are three flagpoles each. The sides feature wreath-shaped carvings symbolizing remembrance for the fallen, along with the Chinese inscription “英魂不朽　浩气长存” and the English phrase “THE GLORIOUS DEAD.” Below these are the years “1914-1918” and “1939-1945,” marking the periods of the two World Wars. Above is the Roman numeral “MCMXIX,” representing the year 1919—the year the Treaty of Versailles was signed. At the top is a stone coffin carving designed to hold wreaths in tribute to the fallen soldiers.

The Cenotaph (Hong Kong)

Must-visit reason: Hong Kong's most important memorial monument