Hyde Park War Memorial
Posted on June 7, 2011 - Filed Under Historic Sites
Tags: Hyde Park Memorial, Hyde Park Sydney, Hyde Park War Memorial, Sydney Historic Sites, Sydney Memorial, things to do in Sydney
Hyde Park War Memorial, otherwise known as the ANZAC Memorial Building is located at the south end of Sydney’s beautiful Hyde Park and is the primary commemorative military monument in the state of New South Wales.
Early History:
In April 1916, on the first anniversary of the landing of Australian troops at Anzac Cove, Gallipoli, a fund was opened with the purpose of raising money for a permanent memorial to those from NSW who served in World War I. The fund reached 60,000 pounds by the end of the year, but it was not until 1923 that Hyde Park was suggested as the location for the memorial.
It took another six years for a design to be chosen. A competition was held and 117 designs were submitted from all around the world. The final design chosen for the Hyde Park Memorial was submitted by Mr C Bruce Dellit, a Sydney-born architect and included proposed sculptures by Raynor Hoff.
Building began in 1932 during the height of the Great Depression and was completed in 1934. His Royal Highness, the Duke of Gloucester officially opened the ANZAC Memorial Building on the 24th November 1934.
The ANZAC memorial was rededicated as a memorial to all Australians who serve their country in war in 1984.
The Design:
The Hyde Park War Memorial is one of Australia’s most popular, most innovative, and most touching pieces of architecture in Australia and is particularly noted for its Art Deco style.
It stands over 30 metres high and incorporates a large number of Art Deco motifs as well as a number of beautifully carved sculptures both within the building and around the outside.
The memorial was constructed with the purpose of remembering people of the past in order to save the future. In order to convey this message to the people of Australia, Dellit chose to build the memorial with modern Australian expressions in mind – hence the strong Art Deco motif.
The sacrifices of war is a strong theme found throughout the memorial. For example, one sculpture shows three women and a child that represents how much men gave up when they travelled off to war leaving those who loved them behind. Another sculpture portrays a young soldier lying dead on the ground to represent the lives of those men who were lost during the war.
The Hall Of Memory:
The Hall of Memory is the main interior feature of the Hyde Park War Memorial. A circular hole can be found in the centre of the floor forming the Well of Contemplation that allows visitors to look down into the Hall of Silence. A marble balustrade in the form of a wreath surrounds the well.
While in the Hall of Memory, make sure you look up to view the 120,000 stars on the ceiling. Each one represents a man or woman from New South Wales who served during World War I.
The image of the rising sun can also be seen in the Hall of Memory. This is the emblem of the Australian Army. A stylised version of this image is engraved in the amber glazed windows on each side of the Hall of Memory. The sun shines through these windows, bathing the shrine in golden light to represent the hope of tomorrow.
The Flame Room:
The Flame Room is a small space on the east side of the Hall of Memory. Here you will find an Eternal Flame, now known as the Flame of Remembrance, a symbol of eternal life and the nation’s gratitude and remembrance of its war dead.
Important Information:
Location:
Hyde Park War Memorial can be found at the southern end of Hyde Park, near the corner of Elizabeth and Liverpool Street. Museum station is only a few minutes walk away and many buses stop nearby.
The Sydney Bondi Hop-On Hop-Off Bus stops near the Australian Museum, a short and easy walk from the Hyde Park War Memorial.
Nearby Attractions:
Nearby attractions include Hyde Park, the Archibold Fountain and the Australian Museum.
Opening Hours:
Hyde Park War Memorial is open 9:00am-5:00pm every day except Christmas Day and Good Friday.
Keep in mind that access to the memorial may be limited on days of remembrance like Anzac Day (April 25th) and Remembrance Day (November 11th). Such events are devoted to remembering the lives of those who went off to war and ceremonies are held to celebrate the lives of these brave men and women. While access to the memorial may be restricted, such events provide an excellent opportunity to pay your respects to those who sacrificed so much.
Admission:
General admission is free.
Food Services:
Food is not available at the memorial, but there are plenty of food outlets and restaurants nearby.
Access:
The ground floor is wheelchair accessible.
Contact Details:
You can contact Hyde Park War Memorial directly on (02) 9267 7668.
Have You Visited Hyde Park War Memorial?
Please share your experiences of or questions about Hyde Park War Memorial in the comments box below.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 7th, 2011 at 12:40 pm and is filed under Historic Sites. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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