The Importance of Monuments
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The document discusses the importance and symbolism of monuments throughout history. It provides many examples of monuments from around the world and what they represent, such as the Voortrekker Monument in South Africa commemorating the Great Trek of the Voortrekkers. Monuments are said to reflect identity, virtues, and remind people of their shared past and ideals. They are a way for societies to remember significant people, events, and ideas.
The Importance of Monuments
- 1. The IMPORTANCE of MONUMENTS A presentation by Dr Peter Hammond
- 3. THE IMPORTANCE OF MONUMENTS A presentation by Dr Peter Hammond
- 4. The 7 Wonders of the Ancient World In the 5th century, Greek Historian, Herodotus,
- 5. The 7 Wonders of the Ancient World described the seven wonders of the ancient world.
- 6. These were known for their size, material, engineering, beauty and symbolic power.
- 7. The seven Wonders of the Ancient World included: The Great Pyramid of Chephren at Giza;
- 8. the Hanging Gardens of Babylon;
- 9. the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus;
- 10. the Colossus of Rhodes;
- 11. the Pharos (Lighthouse) of Alexandria;
- 12. the Statue of Zeus at Olympia…
- 13. And the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus.
- 14. Potent Symbols From ancient times, temples, statues, towers, markers, tombs and other structures have defined public places, extoled ideals, characterised societies and symbolised who we are.
- 15. Egyptian temple of Luxor built in the reign of Amenhotep III
- 16. Monuments can express the collective goals, joys and sorrows of a society.
- 17. Mysterious Monuments Some ancient monuments are a mystery.
- 18. The Moai Statues on Easter Island were carved out of soft volcanic lava and stand over 9m. No one knows how each 16-tonne stone was moved, or erected.
- 19. The local people have long forgotten the purpose of these giant stones. The significance of these imposing, compelling images remains unexplained.
- 20. Stonehenge Stonehenge, consisting of giant megaliths in a circle, or cromlech, is orientated towards the Summer solstice.
- 21. These Gigantic stones were moved over 200Km to erect this ritual circle at Stonehenge
- 22. It is not clear how these ancient giant sandstones and bluestones were transported from the quarry site, which is over 200 km away.
- 23. The Sphinx The Sphinx, erected about 2,500 B.C., stands majestically alongside the great Pyramids of Gisa in Egypt.
- 24. The Sphinx is apparently the oldest colossal structure to survive from the ancient world and depicts a giant hybrid beast with the body of a lion and the face of a man.
- 25. Monuments Reflect Identity The word monument comes from the Latin word moneo, which means to remind.
- 26. The Temple of Ramses II at Abu Simbel, Egypt
- 27. Ancient Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II
- 28. The Parthenon stands on the Acropolis overlooking the city of Athens, built between 448 and 432 B.C.
- 29. Inside the Parthenon was a colossal statue of the goddess Athena. Sculpted by Phidias in gold and ivory it was dedicated c.438 B.C.
- 30. Ancient Greek female figures gaze over the city of Athens
- 31. A monument is anything that reminds us of a person, an event, or an idea from the past. A monument is a way in which society remembers its past and formulates its identity and future hopes.
- 37. In Bruges, a statue of Jan Breydel and Pieter De Coninck commemorates these two Belgian citizens in the battle against French dictators in 1302
- 38. The majestic statue of Joan of Arc in Orleans shows the French heroine astride her horse, ready to lead her country to freedom
- 42. A statue of Czar Peter the Great. Erected by Empress Catherine the Great stands as a symbol of Russian national pride and patriotism
- 43. A personification of Germania in Rudesheim, Germany
- 44. A statue of Kaiser Frederick the Great of Germany stands majestically above his subjects in Berlin
- 47. Communication, Education and Inspiration Monuments communicate, much like books do.
- 48. Battlesites are often monuments.
- 49. Monuments elicit nostalgia, pride, empathy, sorrow, compassion and respect, even more powerfully than the written word can.
- 50. Permanent Reminders Because monuments are generally intended to be permanent, to educate and remind future generations of values, personalities and events deemed significant, many monuments have been made of lasting material such as stone, marble, bronze, iron and steel.
- 51. Traditions and Calendars However, monuments can also be traditions:
- 52. The fact that we have a seven-day week is a monument to the fact that God created the World in six days and rested on the seventh.
- 53. The institution of Sunday, as a day of rest, is a monument to the fact the Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the First Day of the week.
- 54. The term holiday comes from the term holy day.
- 55. The holidays a nation chooses have great cultural significance.
- 56. The farewell greeting: Goodbye, comes from the old English prayer, God be with ye.
- 57. TIn Austria, the greeting is Gruessgott, or greetings in God.
- 58. Books Can Be Monuments However, monuments are not only buildings and sculptures, but also books and manuscripts.
- 59. What we call Foxes Book of Martyrs, was first published in English in 1563 under the title: Acts and Monuments of these Latter and Perilous Days.
- 60. Acts and Monuments – John Foxe
- 61. The Australian government has a 1297 Charter on display in the centre of Parliament House, Canberra.
- 62. Magna Carta 1297 Parliament House, Canberra, Australia
- 63. When the Temporary Becomes Permanent However, some monuments were originally meant to be temporary. For example, the Eiffel Tower in Paris was erected for the 1889 International Exposition and meant to be dismantled shortly afterwards.
- 64. However, over the years, the Eiffel Tower became synonymous with the City of Paris and so has remained a permanent structure in the physical and emotional landscape of France.
- 65. The Eiffel Tower When Gustave Eiffel built the mammoth tower on the left bank of the Seine River, for the 1889 International Exposition, his goal was to display the potential of new industrial metals for architecture.
- 66. At the time, the tower was highly controversial. Many 19th century Persians criticised it as being “un-French” in its design. However, the Eiffel Tower survives because of its practical use as a radio tower.
- 67. Symbolism in Monuments There is much in monuments which is symbolic: The 49 steps up to Rhodes Memorial, symbolises the 49 years Cecil John Rhodes lived.
- 68. The 36 Doric columns of the Lincoln memorial in Washington D.C. symbolised the number of states in the Union at the time of the president’s death.
- 69. The Statue of Liberty in New York city is personified as a robed woman standing on broken chains, representing tyranny.
- 70. Chains at Liberty's feet
- 71. Community and Nationhood Monuments help people feel connected to their collective past, common tradition and shared experience.
- 72. Virtue Many monuments embody the virtues that a society wants to hold dear, such as: Liberty; Justice; Freedom and Courage.
- 73. Civic Identity Some monuments become synonymous with the cities they occupy.
- 74. To many, the Eiffel Tower symbolises Paris;
- 75. the Colosseum is Rome.
- 76. Big Ben The famous Bell Tower, Big Ben, is dear to the hearts of Londoners and a symbol of that city.
- 77. The name refers not to the tower itself, but to its largest bell which was cast by Sir Benjamin Hall and weighs over 13.5 tonnes.
- 78. Big Ben Bell
- 80. The venerable Clock tower constructed in the 1850's in the Neo-Gothic style
- 81. Many town governments depict their monuments on banners, city seals, number plates and other official objects.
- 82. The Tower of Pisa In Renaissance Italy, bell towers were erected as symbols of the city’s wealth and prominence.
- 83. When its construction began in 1174, the Tower of Pisa was intended to be just such a prestigious symbol.
- 84. However, the ill-fated monument began to list to one side, even before its completion and all subsequent efforts to stabilise its weak foundations have failed.
- 85. But today, the Leaning Tower of Pisa is the most famous of all the Tuscan Bell Towers, precisely because of its curious angle.
- 86. In many cities their public monuments define their civic identity.
- 87. Colossal Statues The Statue of Liberty is the most famous colossal statue since the Colossus of Rhodes.
- 88. The statue of Colossus was destroyed in an earthquake in the 3rd century B.C.
- 89. New York's Statue of Liberty was dedicated in 1886.
- 91. Triumphal Arches The Romans erected triumphal arches throughout their territories to celebrate military victories.
- 92. The Arch of Constantine in Rome one of the triumphal arches erected by Roman emperors serving as emblems of power
- 93. Detail from the Arch of Titus in Rome shows Jewish prisoners of war carrying spoils form the sack of the Temple in Jerusalem following the Roman victory in A.D. 70
- 94. Napoleon Bonaparte sought to emulate his ancient predecessors by erecting the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, to stir patriotism at home by symbolising military victories abroad.
- 95. Napoleon constructed the Arc de Triomphe in Paris using ancient Rome as his source of inspiration
- 96. Sculptures on the side of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris depict the ideals of liberty, productivity and freedom.
- 97. Nelson’s Column Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square in London, stands 44 metres high. It commemorates the great Naval victory of the Battle of Trafalgar, 1805.
- 98. The Great Wall of China The Great Wall of China and Hadrian’s Wall are monuments to attempts by civilisation to protect its people and possessions from foreign attack.
- 99. Built in the 5th century B.C., the Great Wall of China spans 2,414 km across the Asian continent.
- 100. Hadrian’s Wall Hadrian’s Wall, built by the Romans, stretches 129 km, separating England from Scotland.
- 101. Hadrian's Wall once the first line of defense for the ancient Romans, now a rambling ruin marking the border of England and Scotland
- 102. The Brandenburg Gate The Brandenburg Gate was originally erected in Berlin in 1791, as a symbol of peace.
- 103. For years, it symbolised the Cold War, the Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain, separating Communist enslaved Eastern Europe from the West, flashpoint of the conflict between totalitarianism and freedom.
- 104. Since the Fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, it has again become a symbol of freedom and resistance to oppression.
- 105. Mount Rushmore Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills of South Dakota, depicts American presidents: George Washington; Thomas Jefferson; Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.
- 106. Mount Rushmore
- 107. The granite Mount Rushmore monument depicts 60-foot high faces, some 500-feet above the ground.
- 108. Stone Mountain Stone Mountain, near Atlanta, Georgia, is the largest relief sculpture in the world, commemorating Southern Leaders, General Stonewall Jackson; Robert E. Lee and President Jefferson Davis.
- 109. Stone Mountain, completed in 1972, sits 400-feet above the ground and measures 90 by 190-feet.
- 110. Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church In Berlin, the Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche remains as a reminder of the destruction of the bombing of Berlin by the remaining bomb-scarred bell tower standing next to the new cathedral.
- 111. Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church
- 112. Hiroshima’s Peace Park The Peace Park in Hiroshima, in Japan, commemorates the victims of the first atomic bomb ever dropped on a city, 6 August 1945.
- 113. The shattered Dome of the Hospital which was the epicentre of the A-bomb explosion remains as it was at the time of detonation.
- 115. Pretoria is an historic city with many important monuments. The most prominent of these is the Voortrekker Monument, located just South of Pretoria.
- 116. This massive granite structure located on a hilltop, was designed by architect, Gerard Moerdijk.
- 117. The cornerstone was laid on Monument Hill, 16 December 1938, by three descendants of Voortrekker leaders: the granddaughter of Andries Pretorius, the great granddaughter of Hendrik Potgieter and the great granddaughter of Piet Retief.
- 118. Under the foundation stone is buried a copy of the Covenant Vow made by the Voortrekkers on the eve of the Battle of Blood River, 16 December 1838,
- 119. a copy of the anthem Die Stem and a copy of the land deal for Natal, signed by Dingaan, King of the Zulus after Piet Retief had fulfilled the conditions he had required.
- 120. The monument was inaugurated 16 December 1949, by Prime Minister D.F. Malan.
- 121. Visual History The Voortrekker Monument is 40 metres high, with a base of 40m by 40m.
- 122. It contains the largest marble frieze in the world. The frieze consist of 27 marble relief panels depicting the history of the Great Trek, the life, struggles and fervent Christian Faith of the Voortrekkers.
- 123. In many ways the massive marble frieze depicting the vision, journeys, sufferings and achievements of the Voortrekkers parallels the exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt.
- 124. The Great Commission The Bible presented by the English speaking 1820 Settlers to the departing Voortrekkers
- 125. Duty and Destiny The Bible presented by the English-speaking 1820 Settlers, to the departing Voortrekkers is prominent in the marble historic frieze, emphasising the importance of the Great Commission.
- 126. God has placed us at the foot of Africa to take the light of the Gospel of Christ throughout Africa.
- 127. In the centre of the floor of this Hall of Heroes is a large circular opening, through which the Cenotaph can be viewed. Cenotaph
- 128. The Cenotaph, situated in the centre of the monument is the central focus.
- 129. The architect intended the Cenotaph to resemble an altar, symbolic of the altar established by Noah after the Flood, and by Abraham, the Father of the Faithful.
- 130. Through an opening in the dome a ray of sunlight shines at 12 o' clock on 16 December each year, falling on the centre of the Cenotaph, highlighting the words: "Ons vir jou Suid Afrika". The Blessings of God
- 131. This ray of light is to symbolise God's blessings on the lives and endeavours of the Voortrekkers.
- 132. The Cenotaph hall is decorated with the flags of the various Voortrekker Republics and contains wall tapestries depicting the travels and achievements of the Voortrekkers and display cases with artefacts from the Great Trek, including many Bibles, Hymn books and Psalms.
- 133. Against the Northern wall of the hall is a nave with a lantern in which a flame has been burning ever since the centenary of the Great Trek, 1938. Centenary Flame
- 134. It was in that year, that the symbolic ox-wagon trek, which began in Cape Town, arrived at Monument Hill where the monument's foundation stone was then laid.
- 135. Through Many Dangers Visitors to the monument enter through a black wrought iron gate made up of assegais.
- 136. Surrounding the Voortrekker monument is a laager of 64 ox-wagons, the same number of wagons as were used at the Battle of Blood River.
- 137. Christian Civilisation At the foot of the Voortrekker monument stands Anton van Wouw's, stone sculpture of a Voortrekker woman and her two children.
- 138. As the children look to their mother for love and guidance, she looks up to the Lord for strength and wisdom.
- 139. On each side of this sculpture, wildebeest are chiselled into the walls of the monument, depicting the dangers of the wilderness in which the mother, representative of Christian civilisation, was establishing her home.
- 140. LeadersOn each outside corner of the Voortrekker monument, there is a statue representing Piet Retief, Andries Pretorius, Hendrik Potgieter and a fourth leader, meant to represent all the other Voortrekkers.
- 141. Design The original design by Moerdijk had been rejected for its resemblance to an Egyptian temple, including a causeway linking to Egyptian obelisks.
- 142. Public participation helped to determine the final design of the Voortrekker monument. Gerard Moerdijk was the chief architect of 80 Reformed Churches in South Africa.
- 143. The Greek cross floor plan reflected the fact that the New Testament was initially revealed in Greek. The centrality of the Word of God was emphasized.
- 144. The monument's huge upper dome, was designed to draw the visitors eyes upwards, towards God who is our Creator, Sovereign Lord and Eternal Judge.
- 145. As God communicates in general revelation through nature and in special revelation through Scripture, Moerdijk determined to focus on both the Word of God and the Works of God, both in history and in nature.
- 146. Creation Mandate A beautiful garden of indigenous flowers, plants and trees surrounds the monument, reflecting our duty to fulfil the Creation Mandate.
- 147. The 3.41km squared area around the monument was declared a nature reserve in 1992. Zebra, blesbuck, mountain reedbuck, springbok and impala flourish in this nature reserve around the monument.
- 148. Consecration for the Great Commission From a distance, the Voortrekker Monument resembles an altar, symbolising the Afrikaans peoples’ determination to be consecrated to God, for the fulfilment of the cultural mandate,
- 149. to care for God’s creation and to develop civilisation in the wilderness and a commitment to fulfilling the Great Commission throughout Africa.
- 150. As United States President Theodore Roosevelt challenged us: “It is not the critic that counts —
- 151. nor the man who points out how the strong man stumbled;
- 152. nor where the doer of deeds could have done better,
- 153. the credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena;
- 154. whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood;
- 156. who errs and comes short again and again;
- 157. who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy cause;
- 158. who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and;
- 159. who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while doing greatly,
- 160. so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat!”
- 161. "Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted… now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition…" 1 Corinthians 10:6-11
- 162. Dr Peter Hammond FRONTLINE FELLOWSHIP PO Box 74 Newlands, 7725 Cape Town South Africa Mission@Frontline.org.za www.FrontlineMissionSA.org