Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata

PD Photo: Victoria Memorial Hall at dusk

Victoria Memorial Hall situated in the Indian metropolitan city Kolkata was built on the initiative of Lord Curzon, then Viceroy of India. On the death of Queen Victoria in January 1901, Curzon suggested building a fitting memorial to the Queen. The funds for the construction of the memorial were to be collected from the Indian people.

The people of India responded positively to Lord Curzon’s suggestion and total cost of construction of this monument was contributed by the people by way of donations. Prince of Wales King George V laid the foundation stone on January 4, 1906 and the Victoria Memorial Hall was constructed and opened to the public in 1921.

Ruins of the Philippeion, Greece

Photo: Temple of Philip II of Macedon in Olympia, photo taken in July 2006

The Philippeion in the Altis of Olympia, an Ionic circular memorial built of ivory and gold and the only structure inside the Altis dedicated to a humans, contained statues of Philip II's family, Alexander the Great, Olympias, Amyntas III and Eurydice I. It was created by the Athenian sculptor Leochares in celebration of Philip's victory at the battle of Chaeronea (338 BC).