Wellington Cenotaph – Cenotaph Court project, Wellington City Council

Since being unveiled on Anzac Day in 1931, the Cenotaph or Citizens’ War Memorial in Wellington has been the centrepiece of many ceremonies of remembrance. It is the city’s principal war memorial for the Wellington province. Over time the area around the Cenotaph has changed and the monument is no longer so prominent.

A Cenotaph Conservation Plan aims to restore this space to its former glory, by opening up the immediate area to give better views of the monument, consistent with the original design. 

To bring the Conservation Plan to life, Wellington City Council will carry out a restoration project to be completed before the 2015 Anzac Day commemorations. This is intended to reinstate the experiences of old for future generations, ensure the legacy of the monument continues and recognise the importance of the Cenotaph in the Capital and its links with Parliament.

The work includes a redesign of the open space around the Cenotaph to reinstate it as the focal point of the precinct and as a city icon. A redesign of the forecourt will provide a larger and more accessible space for the Anzac Day dawn service as well as other events. The work also includes essential repairs and repointing on the monument itself. New steps will be built up to the Beehive forecourt, in conjunction with Parliamentary Services, to strengthen the connection to Parliament.

Further information

For more information, please contact Kevin Murphy at Wellington City Council,  04 801 3448 or kevin.murphy@wcc.govt.nz