cenotáfios

A cenotaph is a monument erected to honor people whose remains are not interred at the site. The term derives from the Greek kenos, meaning empty, and taphos, meaning tomb. Cenotaphs are commonly built to commemorate military dead when bodies could not be repatriated, identified, or recovered, including unknown soldiers.

Cenotaphs function as symbolic tombs and focal points for public remembrance. They are typically monumental and feature inscriptions, dates, names, or dedications. Their primary purpose is to provide a place for collective mourning, wreath-laying ceremonies, and national observances, even though no body rests within them. The design of cenotaphs varies widely, ranging from simple stone blocks to obelisks, sculpted reliefs, or integrated architectural structures.

The best-known example is the Cenotaph in Whitehall, London, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and unveiled in 1920 to honor the British and Commonwealth dead of the First World War; it later became the central focus of Remembrance Day ceremonies and inspired numerous similar monuments around the world.

In many countries, cenotaphs are also used to commemorate unknown or missing soldiers and may be located within larger war memorial precincts. While not tombs in the literal sense, cenotaphs serve as important memory sites that connect communities with those who died in conflicts, preserving a record of sacrifice through symbolic reverence.