The Cenotaph

The Cenotaph stands in Whitehall as the national focus of remembrance for those who died in the two World Wars and later conflicts. Edwin Lutyens first designed a temporary monument in wood and plaster for the Peace Day events of 1919; public feeling led to its replacement in Portland stone, unveiled on Armistice Day in 1920. Its name means an empty tomb, reflecting its role for people whose relatives and friends had no known grave. English Heritage cares for the memorial, which remains the setting for the annual National Service of Remembrance. Visitors often comment on the restraint of its design and the sense of reflection it creates amid central London's traffic. View it from the surrounding pavements and allow time to read the inscriptions and see the wreaths. Westminster and Charing Cross stations provide nearby public transport approaches.