With its palatial Greek columns, ziggurat roof and universally understood significance, the Shrine of Remembrance is one of Melbourne’s beloved sacred sites.
And 90 years after its construction in the Victorian capital in the aftermath of World World I, an upcoming exhibition is about to shed light on how the design of the memorial was finalised.
Designing Remembrance tells the story of the architectural competition that attracted ambitious plans for the structure to pay tribute to the state's war dead.
Exhibit curator and historian Dr Katti Williams said it's hard to imagine the extent of the trauma and upheaval that existed in Australia when the Shrine was designed and constructed.
"There was a profound, profound impact upon society," she said.
"Definitely, grief and bereavement but also a sense of pride, heroism, sacrifice, frustration and disillusionment.
"Particularly when men started coming home and the impact of the trauma of war, both physical and mental, became more evident."Almost 40 per cent of Australian men between 18 and 44 enlisted in World War I and of the 416,809 who went to war, more than 62,000 were killed.
Each of the shortlisted entries for the 1921 War Memorial competition jostled to become a testament to the social and political tapestry of the time.
Melburnians of the day had been asked tough questions: Should the memorial honour the past or herald the future? Should it be grandiose or modest, solemn or hopeful, glorious or a warning?
Their preferences favoured a design of a cenotaph surrounded by a long sequence of columns, which finished in fifth place, and a triumphant giant arch, which finished sixth.
Another design, which came fourth, paid homage to Australian flora and fauna, ahead of some of its competitors which celebrated imperial Britain.
The third-placed design reflected architect Donald Turner’s past experience of designing memorials and cemeteries at Gallipoli and featured a towering pylon at its heart.
The runner-up was William Lucas who famously accused the winners of plagiarism, resulting in his vilification by his colleagues for years to come.
His vision was modelled on an ancient Roman amphitheatre, with space for crowds to stand within and witness commemorative events.
But Dr Williams said there was one component that made Phillip Hudson and James Wardrop's winning entry stand above the rest.
"They firmly believed that the structure needed an interior and it's my firm belief that interior has actually allowed the Shrine to remain so relevant," she said.
"It's retained a sacred character because of its interior and what that means."
The Shrine's foundation stone was laid on 11 November 1927, and it officially opened exactly four years later.
