ANZAC stands for "Australian New Zealand Army Corps." April 25 is an important national holiday in Australia, as it is a memorial day for the soldiers who fought for their country. On April 25, 1915, a joint force of Australians and New Zealanders first met the enemy forces in Gallipoli. This battle was during World War I, the first engagement in which the Australians took part.
The fundraising program that eventually paid for the monument was started in 1919, just after WWI ended. The monument was not started until 1929, and was completed in 1934. Designed by architect Bruce Dellit, who defied the revivalist traditions popular at the time, it is a highly symbolic and representational building. The sculptures that embellish the building are the work of Rayner Hoff. They depict the many military campaigns of various Australian military forces.
The building is an imposing structure of granite, with entrances facing in all four directions. This includes 16 buttresses, also granite, of figures with sad and contemplative visages. The doors to the north and south lead to grand staircases that take the visitor up to the circular Hall of Memory. The east and west entrances descend into the Halls of Silence. The design is intended to incline the visitors head downward into a reverent bow.
Displays at the Anzac monument include wartime news correspondence, war diaries, contemporary photographs and accessories. The monument also features artifacts and information on the history of South Pacific warfare, starting from the Colonial period of the late 18th century. These exhibits are in a state of constant evolution, and the general public is invited to contribute by providing additional items or correcting inaccuracies in any existing exhibitions.
