Queens Gardens: Great Place to Relax in the Centre of Dunedin
The Queens Gardens in Dunedin is in the central part of the city. So it’s quite easy to get there. The most striking part of the Queens Gardens is the cenotaph. The tall structure rose out of the trees and could be seen from all around.
The cenotaph was the main war memorial of Dunedin and I knew that it had been made during the 1920s to honor the men who had died in the First World War.
The cenotaph looked really huge from up close. There were benches on the surrounding lawns so that tourists and other visitors could sit down and enjoy the sunshine for a little time.
I decided to walk right up to the cenotaph. It was made of marble and had eight sides. There was a wreath carved on one side. I could also see a torch and other different designs on the side of Dunedin Cenotaph.
Near the base of the Dunedin Cenotaph, there was an inscription. The inscription said, “The Glorious Dead 1914 – 1918”. It had been made for the Dunedin men who had died in those years. I had read that the cenotaph was eight sided because the Dunedin City Centre was also octagonal in shape.
The Queen’s Gardens were pretty empty when I went to visit. There were green lawns all around me and I could see lots of cars on the roads around the garden. Since it was winter, most of the trees didn’t have any leaves. They looked really bare as they stood around the garden. I was sure they would look much prettier during spring and summer.
Multistoried buildings and towers were visible rising around the gardens. There were a lot of cars around too. But the garden was quiet and peaceful.
I looked up at the top of the cenotaph and saw the large cross that had been carved at the top. It was a clear day and the sky looked bright blue in the background. So I got some really nice photographs.
The lawns and benches around the base of the cenotaph had been well-maintained. Everything was really neat and clean.
I wanted to take a few pictures of the cenotaph from every angle. As you can see in the image above, the torch and wreath were very clear.
The crosses on four sides were supposed to mean sacrifice. There was a symbolic beacon at the top of the structure.
There was also a plaque near the cenotaph which was a memorial for other wars. The wars that it commemorated were the Maori War of 1864, the South African War of 1899 – 1902, the Great War of 1914 – 1918 (The Bridge of Remembrance at the Christchurch Cathedral Square also commemorates those who died on this war.) and the Second World War of 1839 – 1945. The names of some of the officers who had been awarded the Victoria Cross were also mentioned on the plaque. Obviously, this plaque had been added later, after World War 2 ended.
At the bottom of the cenotaph was a carving of a lion. It was seated and was facing forward. Its head was held back in a very proud posture.
