Episode of the September Days 1830, on the Grand Place of Brussels (1835) by Gustave WappersRoyal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
Human history is, to an extent, a story of resistance, rebellion and revolution. Change and progress is often hard won, and many people have given their lives to the cause of overcoming oppression.
With this in mind, scroll on to take a closer, three-dimensional look at some of the buildings and structures designed to make sure we never forget the sacrifice and suffering of those that have gone before.
Monument to the Revolution
Monument to the Revolution - Mexico City, Mexico
This landmark, located in the Plaza de la Republica in Mexico's capital city, commemorates the Mexican Revolution which broke out in 1910 after three decades of oppressive rule by President Porfirio Diaz.
The monument also serves as a mausoleum for some of the revolution's most important heroes, including Francisco 'Pancho' Villa, Venustiano Carranza, Plutarco Elías Calles, and Lázaro Cárdenas.
Memorials can be used to celebrate great victories or commemorate periods of loss or sacrifice. But they are generally intended to stand out and offer something different to the prevailing architecture.
Arc de Triomphe
Arc de Triomphe - Paris, France
Standing at the western end of the Champs-Élysées at the centre of Place Charles de Gaulle, the Arc de Triomphe is perhaps one of the most famous and identifiable monuments in the world.
The Arc honours those who fought and died for France in the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars. Beneath the main vault also lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I.
Monuments often take the form of towers or obelisks located in open spaces. This gives them greater visibility and enhances the impact of their message.
Statue of Liberty
Statue of Liberty - New York, USA
Another of the world's most iconic monuments, the Statue of Liberty sits on Liberty Island on the approach to New York. The statue was a gift from France, designed by sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and with a metal framework built by Gustave Eiffel.
The statue was designed to celebrate the USA's fight for independence from its colonial masters. As such it is inscribed with the date of the Declaration of Independence and a broken shackle at the feet commemorates the national abolition of slavery.
Some memorials encourage interaction and engagement in order to strengthen their message, with some even emerging in a more organic way, assuming significance over time.
Monumento a la Independencia
Monumento a la Independencia - Mexico City, Mexico
Officially known as Monumento a la Independencia, but more commonly referred to as The Angel of Independence, or simply El Ángel, it was built in 1910 to commemorate the centennial of the beginning of Mexico's War of Independence.
One of the most recognizable landmarks in Mexico City, it is still used today as a location for both celebration and protest, proving that memorials are not just about the past but play an active role in the present day too.
Sighet Memorial: The Cortege of the Sacrificial Victims by Aurel VladCivic Academy Foundation - Sighet Memorial to the Victims of Communism and to the Anticommunist Resistance
Why we should never forget
If you would like to know more about why it is so important for us to remember our collective past and to celebrate or commemorate those who suffered for our freedoms, then check out this in depth look at the role of memorials.
