The Cenotaph

The story

Its name means 'empty tomb' in Greek. Lutyens first built it in wood and plaster for the Peace Day events of July 1919, at Prime Minister David Lloyd George's request. People covered it in wreaths for the dead and missing of the Great War, and within a week close to a million had come to pay their respects. That response led to the permanent stone memorial, unveiled on Armistice Day 1920, which became a focus for families whose loved ones had no known grave. English Heritage now cares for it, cleaning and coating the stone twice a year against weathering and pollution. It stands in the middle of busy Whitehall, near the Houses of Parliament and Trafalgar Square, and each November hosts the national service honouring British and Commonwealth servicemen and women of the two World Wars and later conflicts.