monument

Lasting tribute edifice

A monument is a structure built to commemorate a person, event, or achievement—statues, obelisks, arches, and memorial buildings.

The term extends to anything that stands as lasting evidence of something significant: His symphonies are monuments to human creativity.

To make a monument of something is to preserve or honor it.

A monument can also be a boundary marker or surveying reference point.

structure

obelisk

Tapering stone monument

statueThree-dimensional sculpted likeness
columnVertical structural element
pillarUpright architectural support

edifice · pyramid · tower · tomb · mausoleum · cenotaph · arch · dome · pedestal · plinth

memorial

commemoration

Act of honoring memory

dedicationWholehearted loyalty to purpose
homageExpression of deep respect
remembranceAct of holding something in mind

tribute · reverence · honor · cemetery · grave · tombstone · wreath · epitaph · fallen · sacrifice

heritage

preservation

Maintaining something's condition

conservationPreventing waste or loss
archaeologyStudy of physical remnants
antiquityGreat age, ancient era

artifacts · ruins · excavation · restoration · cultural · historic · legacy · tradition · patrimony · ancient

landmark

attraction

Pull toward something

destinationIntended arrival point
iconicWidely recognized, enduring
skylineUrban profile against atmosphere

sightseeing · tourism · postcard · viewpoint · panorama · photography · visitor · guidebook · itinerary · scenic

symbolic

emblem

Representational sign or device

representationDepiction or likeness
nationalismDevotion to one's country
patriotismDevotion to one's homeland

identity · unity · pride · sovereignty · independence · freedom · victory · triumph · founding · ideology

Categories

traveltrip, trips, journey, journeys, travel
cultural heritagefolklore, traditions, customs, folk music revival, museum collections
sculpturestatue, sculpture, sculptor, sculpting, bronze
Cultural Referencesmeme, catchphrase, movie quote, song lyric, famous line
government propertycourthouse, post office, military base, national park, city hall
heritage sitesWorld Heritage Site, historic landmarks, Machu Picchu, cultural landmarks, ancient sites

Opposites

permanence and commemoration

monumentephemera

Disposables preserved as collectibles

temporary structure · rubble · impermanence · ruins · mayfly

scale and grandeur

monumenttrinket

Small worthless ornament

miniature · bauble · knickknack · trifle · hidden object

cultural memory vs. forgetting

monumentobscurity

State of being unknown

amnesia · forgetting · neglect · abandonment · damnatio memoriae

Phrases

war monumentsStructures honoring combat dead
ancient monumentsHistoric structures from antiquity
national monumentLegally protected landmark
Washington MonumentCommemorative stone tower, D.C.
historic monumentsPreserved structures of significance
stone monumentsLasting rock tributes

Family

monumental, monuments, monumentally, monumentality, monumentalize, monumentalized

Familiarity: Top 20,000
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G