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Why do we build monuments?

Posted on 10/2/17 | Featured, News

Why is the desire to build monuments so strong and lasting? What in us sparks the desire or need to build monuments? The easy answer comes from the word itself, Monument.

The origin of the word comes from a Latin/ French word “Monere”, which means to remind.For thousands of years’ humans have had the desire to be remembered. Inherently, those left after a death take on the role of memorializing the deceased. We do this as a reminder to present and future generations of the life and accomplishments of an individual, society, or nation.

“A monument, great or small, frail or enduring, is nothing more than the thoughtful act of one man or group, to perpetuate the memory of loved ones who preceded them. Thus, a monument is nothing more than a lasting way to say I care”.

– Monument Builders of North America

The monument has great psychological benefit also. A monument gives someone a place to come, visit, grieve, and remember the dead. Without a place to go, a loved one often struggles to grieve properly. Unhealthy mourning can result in get strain on the human body, much less emotional and psychological health.

The desire to be remember is a natural human response. To allow the lessons and experiences of your own life to mean something to future generations is an innate desire. Building monuments creates an everlasting object symbolizing the life and accomplishments of an individual, bringing meaning and understanding to future generations of those who have come before. Take some time to walk through your local cemetery, take in the history and remember those who have come before us have made today what it is.

  • Monument.” Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2017.
  • Laws, D. (1993). Monument Industry Certification Manual (5th ed., Vol. 2). Evanston, IL: Monument Builders of North America.
  • Clemence, S. (2016, October 21). These Are the 12 Most Beautiful Cemeteries in the World. Retrieved April 18, 2017, from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/photo-essays/2016-10-21/these-are-the-12-most-beautiful-cemeteries-in-the-world