The Canadian National Vimy Memorial

The Canadian National Vimy Memorial is a war monument devoted to the memory of the Canadian Expeditionary Force members, as well as every other Canadian that had been killed or had presumably died in France throughout the First World War. The total number of names engraved in the memorial is 11,285.

Discover further details about the history and the character of the monument, learn how to get there, and plan your trip with the following paragraphs, provided by Travel in Pink.

All you need to know

The monument has been raised in the middle of an authentic 250-acre battlefield park – a little part of the territory over which the Canadian Corps initiated their attack during the Battle of Vimy Ridge. It is a part of the former Western Front that stands out with well-preserved battlefield archaeology and astounding authenticity.

Here is a bunch of intriguing facts concerning the monument and what it stands for:

• The memorial was presented by King Edward VIII back in 1936. That happened in front of a 50,000 people crowd, including over 6,000 Canadian guests.
  
  
• The enormous project was run by the Canadian architect Walter Seymour Allward. It took $1.5 million 11 years to be completed.
  
  
• In 2007, 90 years after the battle, Queen Elizabeth II once again dedicated the monument to the fallen.
  
  
• The monument features 20 symbolic sculptures portraying broad topics – the shared ideals, the grief of the Canadian people, their prayers, and more. The Memorial’s twin columns are 27 meters tall.
  
  
• Canada Bereft figure is the most massive sculpture on the memorial that represents a young nation that’s grieving for her dead sons. The statue was sculpted from one single giant stone, weighing around 30 tonnes.
  
  
• The Battle of Vimy Ridge made history by turning into the Canadian national symbol of fulfillment and sacrifice.
  
  
• The authentically preserved battlefield park around the Canadian National Vimy Memorial consists of wartime tunnels, craters, trench lines, cemeteries, and even plenty of unexploded munitions. Most of it remains closed to the general public for safety matters.

How to get there?

The Canadian National Vimy Memorial is located in the northern part of France, in the department of Pas-de-Calais, about 10 kilometers away from the town of Arras. The site is always open to the public. The entrance is free of charge, and guides are available during the working hours of the visitor center.