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A Memorial at Home: Building the Shrine

The Shrine of Remembrance was built by the Victorian community as a place to remember those that lost their lives in the First World War.

A man stands with two children in front of a partially constructed Shrine of Remembrance

Photograph - Victor Hawley Wager standing in front of the Shrine during construction with two of his children, c. 1931-1932, Shrine of Remembrance

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Of the 89,000 Victorians who served in the war abroad 19,000 never returned home.

They were buried in distant graves far from home at a time when most Australians did not travel overseas. The need for the community to have a place to come together to grieve was great.

A sculptor at work in his studio surrounded by stone sculptures

Photograph - Paul Montford sculpting a model buttress, c. 1928-1933, Shrine of Remembrance

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The foundation stone was laid in 1927 and the building dedicated seven years later in 1934.

More than 30,000 people gathered on the grounds of the Shrine on the 11 November 1934 to share in the ceremony, almost half the population of Melbourne: a sobering thought that highlights the symbolic impact the Shrine’s dedication had for the community at the time.

Surveyors with equipment in front of big stone columns

Photograph - Surveyors at work on the Shrine, 1934, Shrine of Remembrance

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But world peace would not be maintained as many hoped, and this was not to be the last major conflict that Australians would be involved in.

In recognition of this, the Shrine became a site to honour the service and sacrifice of men and women across all conflicts and peacekeeping missions since the First World War.

Aerial view of shrine and gardens with thousands of people attending

Postcard - 'The National War Memorial of Victoria, Aerial view of Dedication Ceremony', 1934, Shrine of Remembrance

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Today the Shrine is still a site for the community to grieve those that have been lost to wars.

It is a place to honour the selfless service of men and women now and in the past; and is also a place of reflection and learning, where new generations can share in the rich stories of fellow Victorians both past and present.

Photograph - Larry Koester, 'Shrine of Remembrance', 2013, Flickr

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In more recent years new spaces have been incorporated into the Shrine’s design to broaden opportunities for engagement.

These include courtyards and galleries located under the foundations of the monument. These spaces also facilitate public programs and visitor experiences that are socially inclusive.

Since the First World War, people’s personal connections to, and knowledge of, Australia’s involvement in conflict and peacekeeping have changed. The community is more multifaceted and diverse than it once was, so too is the Shrine, its role both reflecting this diversity and evolving with it.