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7 July Memorial

Coordinates:51°30′21″N0°09′10″W/ 51.5059°N 0.1528°W/51.5059; -0.1528
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7 July Memorial
7 July Memorial in 2015
Map
LocationHyde Park, London
MaterialStainless steel
Height3.5 metres (11 ft)
Weight850 kilograms (1,870 lb) per stelae
Completion date7 July 2009

The7 July Memorialis a permanent memorial to the 52 victims of the7 July 2005 London bombings.It is located on the east side ofHyde Park,between Lover's Walk andPark Lane,close to Curzon Gate and about 150 metres (490 ft) north of the monumentalstatue of Achilles.[1]

Design

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The monument is made of 52stainless steelcolumns (orstelae), each 3.5 metres (11 ft) tall and weighing about 850 kilograms (1,870 lb). The stelae are grouped in four linked clusters that reflect the four locations of the bombings atTavistock Square,Edgware Road,King's CrossandAldgate East tube stations.The columns are anonymous, but each is inscribed with the date, place and time of the relevant bombing; a separate plaque lists the names of those killed. The form of the memorial, with many standing columns, has been compared to theMemorial to the Murdered Jews of Europein Berlin, and theNew Zealand War MemorialatHyde Park Corner.[2]A grass bank to the east of the memorial shields the site from the noise of traffic on Park Lane.[3]

The proposal for a permanent memorial was announced on 13 February 2006, with £1 million of central government funding. The memorial was designed by a team including architectsCarmody Groarke,engineersArup,and landscape architectsColvin and Moggridge(seeBrenda Colvin), advised by sculptorAntony Gormley,in consultation with representatives from the families of the victims, and also representatives from theRoyal Parksand theDepartment for Culture, Media and Sport.[4][5][6][7]The steel was cast by Norton Cast Products ofSheffield.[8]Each pillar was cast in sand using the same mould, but using an opencastingprocess that means each is slightly different, with a rough surface texture.[9]

The proposed design was approved in November 2008,[10]and the completed memorial was unveiled on the fourth anniversary of the attacks on 7 July 2009, at a ceremony attended by family members and relations of the victims andCharles, Prince of Wales,Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall,Prime MinisterGordon Brown,theMayor of LondonBoris Johnson,and other political leaders and representatives from the emergency services.[1]

The memorial was one of 102 structures given an award by theRoyal Institute of British Architectsin 2010.[11][12]

Vandalism

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The memorial was defaced with graffiti two weeks after its dedication ceremony in 2009, with words written on the memorial with a blackmarker pen.[13]It was vandalised for a second time in 2014, on the morning of the ninth anniversary of the attacks. In the 2014 incident slogans such as "4 Innocent Muslims", "Blair Lied Thousands Died" and "J7 Truth" were stencilled in red and black on the memorial, and were removed shortly after being discovered by the park's manager.[14][15]

In June 2015, there were concerns that the site was being used by a group ofrough sleepers.[16]

[edit]
  • Memorial in July 2009, five days after it was unveiled
    Memorial in July 2009, five days after it was unveiled
  • Memorial plaque
    Memorial plaque
  • Floral tribute on a pillar
    Floral tribute on a pillar
  • Detail on a pillar
    Detail on a pillar

References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to7 July Memorial, London.
  1. ^ab"Tributes paid at 7 July memorial".BBC News.7 July 2009.Archivedfrom the original on 18 November 2020.Retrieved7 July2014.
  2. ^Geoghegan, Tom (6 August 2008)."How do you build a modern memorial?".BBC News Magazine.Archivedfrom the original on 15 July 2024.Retrieved3 July2024.
  3. ^Hurran, Beth (7 July 2009)."7 July Memorial unveiled in London's Hyde Park".Arup.Archived fromthe originalon 7 July 2015.
  4. ^Stewart, Dan (1 August 2008)."Carmody Groarke unveils design for 7/7 London bombings memorial".Building.Retrieved3 July2024.
  5. ^Mead, Andrew (6 July 2009)."Review: Carmody Groarke's July 7 memorial".Building Design.Retrieved3 July2024.
  6. ^"Pillar memorial for 7/7 victims".1 August 2008. pp. BBC News.Retrieved3 July2024.
  7. ^"7 July Memorial".Carmody Groarke.Archivedfrom the original on 25 June 2024.Retrieved3 July2024.
  8. ^"7 July Memorial".Royal Parks.Archived fromthe originalon 23 January 2015.Retrieved6 July2015.
  9. ^"Families praise 7 July memorial".BBC News.6 July 2009.Retrieved3 July2024.
  10. ^"Hyde Park 7/7 memorial approved".BBC News.4 November 2008.Archivedfrom the original on 10 July 2009.Retrieved3 July2024.
  11. ^"Memorial 7 July 2005".Modus Operandi.Archivedfrom the original on 5 March 2016.Retrieved3 July2024.
  12. ^"2010 RIBA Award winners announced".Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).Archived fromthe originalon 7 July 2015.Retrieved6 July2015.
  13. ^"7/7 bombings memorial vandalised".BBC News.20 July 2009.Retrieved3 July2024.
  14. ^"July 7 memorial defaced by graffiti on ninth anniversary".The Guardian.7 July 2014.Archivedfrom the original on 7 July 2014.Retrieved7 July2014.
  15. ^"7/7 memorial in Hyde Park vandalised on eve of commemorations".BBC News.7 July 2014.Archivedfrom the original on 11 September 2022.Retrieved3 July2024.
  16. ^Dunne, John (30 June 2015)."7/7 bombing victims' memorial used as makeshift camp by rough sleepers".Evening Standard.Archivedfrom the original on 6 July 2024.Retrieved3 July2024.

51°30′21″N0°09′10″W/ 51.5059°N 0.1528°W/51.5059; -0.1528

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