Peace Monuments Related to the New Millennium in 2000

Click here for Wikipedia article on Millennium. | Click here for peace monuments related to stars & the Heavens.

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1999 - China Millennium Monument, Beijing (China). "Located in the south of Yuyuantan Park with Military Museum in the east and CCTV in the west. Inscription of China Millennium Monument General Secretary Jiang Zemin is engraved on the front side of the monument at the south entrance & inscriptions for China Millennium Monument are engraved on back side of the monument. With total area of 4.5 hectare & building area of 44,000 square meters, main body of China Millennium Monument is comprised of immovable cloisters & rotating monument surface, a pointer of 45 meters pointing to the blue sky is inserted on the upper side of the moument, It will remind you of sundial in Palace Museum."

1999 - Millennium Stadium, Cardiff (Wales). "Built in 1999 to host the Rugby World Cup. Can seat 74,500 people, which makes it one of the largest in the world. Designed by a team of architects now known as the Populous group. Erected in the same location as the previous National Stadium in Wales, only with an eye to size, versatility & views."

October 1, 1999 - Millennium Village, Epcot [theme park], Orlando, Florida (USA). "Was the centerpiece of Disney's Millennium Celebration. The 60,000-square-foot (5,600 m2) pavilion opened up its doors to the public on October 1, 1999 and was closed down on January 1, 2001. It is, however, [still] used on occasion. Along with the Odyssey Restaurant, the Millennium Village (now named "World ShowPlace") is used in the Epcot Food & Wine Festival."

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December 31, 1999 - World Peace Bell, Newport, Kentucky (USA) -- just across Ohio River from Cincinnatti, Ohio. World's largest free-swinging bell. Dedicated on the eve of the new millenium. Project begun by Wayne Carlisle, president of the Millenium Monument Company. Inscribed "The World Peace Bell is a symbol of freedom and peace, honoring our past, celebrating our present, and inspiring our future." Cast in Nantes (France) by Paccard Bell Foundry on December 11, 1998, the 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The Bell has an inscription commemorating that document, as well as engravings marking the most important events of the past 1,000 years." Not associated with World Peace Bell Association (Japan). Entry #355 in the "Peace Movement Directory" by James Richard Bennett (2001). Click here for other peace bells.

December 31, 1999 - American Freedom Bell, 3500 Shamrock Drive, Charlotte (North Carolina). Seven feet tall, seven feet wide, and weighing seven tons. "World's largest bell at ground level." Dedicated on the eve of the new millenium. "Jewish conceived" (i.e. largely paid for by the Belk department store fortune). Between the new Charlotte Museum of History and the old (1774) Hezekiah Alexander rock house. "Marks Charlotte as the first focus of freedom from Britain with its Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence publicly signed [in 1775] 14 months before the Philadelphia document."

December 31, 1999 - Millennium Bell, Grand Circus Park, Detroit, Michigan (USA). On east side of the park. Ten ton bell celebrating the new millennium. Designed by Chris Turner & Matt Blake [1965-2008]. "One day, years ago, Blake discovered the ringer was missing. Different stories circulate about how & where he found the ringer. In any event, according to artist & friend Jerome Ferretti, Blake took the ringer to his garage & sent a 'ransom note' to the city, demanding that officials protect the ringer before he would return it. 'Matt was outrageous,' Ferretti says."

December 31, 1999 - Millennium Wheel or London Eye, western end of Jubilee Gardens, River Thames, Borough of Lambeth, London (England). Between Westminster Bridge & Hungerford Bridge. Formally opened by PM Tony Blair on 31 December 1999, although not opened to the public until 9 March 2000 because of technical problems. "The EDF Energy London Eye (formerly the Merlin Entertainments London Eye & before that, the British Airways London Eye) is a 135-metre (443 ft) tall giant Ferris wheel. Since 20 January 2011, it has been officially known as the EDF Energy London Eye following a 3-year sponsorship deal. It is the tallest Ferris wheel in Europe, and the most popular paid tourist attraction in the UK, visited by over 3.5 million people annually. When erected in 1999, it was the tallest Ferris wheel in the world, until surpassed first by the 160 m (520 ft) Star of Nanchang in 2006, and then the 165 m (541 ft) Singapore Flyer in 2008. It is still described by its operators as 'the world's tallest cantilevered observation wheel' (as the wheel is supported by an A-frame on one side only, unlike the Nanchang and Singapore wheels). The site is adjacent to that of the former Dome of Discovery built for the Festival of Britain in 1951."

January 1, 2000 - Millennium Dome, Greenwich Peninsula, Southeast London (England). "Colloquially referred to simply as 'The Dome.' A original large dome-shaped building, originally used to house the Millennium Experience, a major exhibition celebrating the beginning of the third millennium, which was open to the public from 1 January - 31 December 2000. The project & exhibition were the subject of considerable political controversy as they failed to attract the number of visitors anticipated, with recurring financial problems. All of the original exhibition & associated complex have since been demolished. The dome still exists, and it is now a key exterior feature of the O2 entertainment district. The Prime Meridian passes the western edge of the Dome."

January 1, 2000 - Peace Bell, Imjinjak Park, Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) (Korea). Over 7 feet in diameter, over 12 feet tall & weighs 21 tons. "As we bid farewell to the 20th Century in which we witnessed the division of the Korean Peninsula, we welcome the 21st Century as a time of reunification and peace for all makind."

January 1, 2000 - Stones of Peace Wall, Imjingak Park, Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), Paju (South Korea). Next to the peace bell (qv). "Stones from 86 noteworthy battlefields all over the world, put on display to wish for a peaceful unification of Korea. Barring any nasty surprises, most [South Koreans] believe that unification will follow the German model, with North Korea gradually opening its society up and integrating itself into South Korea. The hard part is the opening up, as the cult of Kim Jong-il is much harder to maintain in an open society."

June 10, 2000 - London Millennium Footbridge, Thames River, London (England). "A steel suspension bridge for pedestrians linking Bankside with the City. It is located between Southwark Bridge (downstream) & Blackfriars Railway Bridge (upstream). Owned & maintained by the Bridge House Estates, a charitable trust overseen by the City of London Corporation. Construction began in 1998, with the opening on 10 June 2000. Londoners nicknamed the bridge the 'Wobbly Bridge' after participants in a charity walk on behalf of Save the Children to open the bridge felt an unexpected, and, for some, uncomfortable, swaying motion on the first two days after the bridge opened. The bridge was closed later that day, and after two days of limited access the bridge was closed for almost two years while modifications were made to eliminate the wobble entirely. It was reopened in 2002."

July 4, 2000 - "Cairn: A Monolith for Peace in the 21st Century," Sylvania, Lucas County, Ohio (USA). Sylvania is a suburb of Toledo on the Michigan border.

Date? - Millennium Monument, Precinct 2, Putrajaya (Malaysia). "A national monument analogous to the Washington Monument in Washington, DC (USA). The first national monument to be built in Putrajaya. Uniquely shaped like an obelisk with etchings denoting important periods & milestones in the nation’s history. Is 68m tall & stands in a 25 hectare park. Constructed of solid metal structures. At night, it serves as a beacon with strong light projected at 360 degrees & sweeping lights visible from various locations in Putrajaya. The lights also guide the cruise boats."

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2000 - Glocke für den Frieden "Concordia" / Concordia Peace Bell, Summit of Kronplatz [2,272 m], Bruneck/Branico (Italy). In German speaking part of Italy. "'Donet deus populis pacem.' / 'God gives peace to the people.' This inscription reveals the sense of the bell. At the same time it is an acknowledgment of gratitude for all those who made a contribution to the development of the successful skiing area Kronplatz. The primary idea for a peace bell came from the local ski pioneer Erich Kastlunger from St. Vigil on the occasion of the turn of millennium. Thereupon the artist Paul de Doss-Moroder from Gröden designed it & supported by the communities Bruneck, Olang, St. Vigil & the cableway companies the project has been realized. The Concordia bell was cast by the Glockengiesserei Oberascher in Salzburg (Austria), and on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the ski center Kronplatz in 2003 it was inaugurated." Weights over 18 tonnes & is set on an 11 m wide panorama platform. Has view of the wonderful mountain landscape between the Zillertaler Alps & the Dolomites. Rung on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday at 12:00 am. Information courtesy of Dr. Jutta Lehmann of Blaichach (Germany).

November 11, 2000 - Millennia Bell, Assisi (Italy). In Michelangelo's Campidoglio. "In 1999, Bruce Hasson made his largest bell, called Millennia. Weighing 1700 pounds & cast in carbon steel, using melted guns, it is a monument to human survival. The shape of this bell is unorthodox, & it is indeed a unique and inventive piece of sculpture. The ambiguity of its structure is itself a poignant comment on destiny. The sides of the Millennia Bell are carefully patinaed & embellished with reliefs recalling the imagery & geometry of early cartographers. The work is intended to inspire peace, as well as humanity's search for a sustainable environment. This bell was first installed at [ Michelangelo's] Campidoglio in Rome [as seen in image], during the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize Conference, where Mikhail Gorbachev struck it during its dedication. It is now installed in the holy city of Assisi." /// Click here for video of the dedication ceremony.

April 3, 2001 - Porte du Troisième millénaire / Door of the Third Millenium, Grande-Corniche, Dakar (Senegal). Designed by Senegalese architect Pierre Goudiaby Atepa. Image includes Seydou Nourou Tall mosque at left.

September 6, 2001 - Ecliptic Park, Rosa Parks Circle, Grand Rapids, Michigan (USA). Designed by Maya Lin. Intended to depict water as solid, liquid & vapor. "The heart of [the park] is a skating rink that converts into an amphitheater in the warmer months & is lit by tiny fiber-optic lights, which are embedded in its surface & laid out in a pattern representing a constellation of stars as of January 1, 2000." "Lin's first project incorporating art & architecture in one site. The rings create an optical illusion in which their slight slope also makes the surface of the rink appear to tilt with the earth's curvature." The park also contains a steaming "Water Table Fountain" [lower image], two small service buildings in steel & concrete, a pair of fountains & short, wandering paths through landscaped mounds of grass that rise and fall in waves about three feet high. /// Grand Rapid's famous LipDub video was made in & around the park in May 2011.

September 17, 2001 - Gateshead Millennium Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne (England). "A pedestrian & cyclist tilt bridge spanning the River Tyne between Gateshead's Quays arts quarter on the south bank & the Quayside of Newcastle upon Tyne on the north bank. The award-winning structure was conceived and designed by architects Wilkinson Eyre & structural engineers Gifford. The bridge is sometimes referred to as the 'Blinking Eye Bridge' or the 'Winking Eye Bridge' due to its shape and its tilting method."

2002 - Millennium Monument, Wrigley Square, Chicago, Illinois (USA). "A nearly full-sized replica of the semicircle of paired Greek Doric-style columns (called a peristyle) that originally sat in this area of Grant Park, near Michigan Avenue & Randolph Street, between 1917 & 1953. Wrigley Square is a public square located in the northwest section of Millennium Park (qv)."

August 6, 2002 - World Peace Park, Lüshun (former Port Arthur), ShunKou District, Dalian (China). Deliberately dedicated on Hiroshima Day? "The park locates in the seaside. The park features bronze statues of Presidents & leaders of 96 nations. On each of their glass plaques is carved a peace poem. Also on display are some works of art dealing with peace as well as a 'War & Peace' stamp collection." (This quote is from "Official Tour Wed Site of Dalian Lv ShunKou District.") See Wang, Yu & Jon Burley (June 11-13, 2008), ""Two Peace Parks: Dalian World Peace Park & the International Peace Garden," 1st WSEAS International Conference on Landscape Architecture (LA '08), Algarve (Portugal), pp. 29-37.

July 16, 2004 - Millennium Park, Chicago, Illinois (USA). "A unique, ambitious project to reclaim 1,500 acres of heavily-used land for public recreation. Encompasses rolling terrain & extensive wetlands & lakes southwest of Grand Rapids, between Johnson Park & John Ball Park. It is a prominent civic center near the city's Lake Michigan shoreline that covers a 24.5-acre (9.9 ha) section of northwestern Grant Park. Bounded by Michigan Avenue, Randolph Street, Columbus Drive & East Monroe Drive. Features a variety of public art. As of 2009, Millennium Park trailed only Navy Pier as a Chicago tourist attraction." /// "Planning of the park began in October 1997. Construction began in October 1998, and Millennium Park was opened in a ceremony on July 16, 2004, four years behind schedule."

2007 - "Kind Angel of Peace," Park of 850th Anniversary of Moscow, Moscow (Russia). "The tallest world's sculpture "Kind Angel of Peace" with a height of 135 meters will be built on five continents. The environmental organization TERRA VIVA initiated the construction of the first "Angel" 5 years ago to unite all people with the idea of Kindness & Peace. "This idea of uniting people living according the principles of goodness & justice, came on the eve of the third millennium. There is a need to create a unifying moral principle. And so a symbol was created - the "Kind Angel of Peace." The author & chief architect of the international project is the honored Russian artist Peter Stronsky. For the first "Kind Angel of Peace" will come to Europe. It will be constructed on the island of Cyprus. The other four continents have not decided on a place yet. The architectural & monumental "Kind Angel of Peace" will consist of a base with a transparent sphere that is 49 meters high & the figure of an angel standing 86 meters tall. Special illumination will make the work visible even from space. Inside the sculpture there will be a hotel or a concert hall, as well as offices, restaurants, cafes, bars & an observation deck. Experts predict that "Kind Angel of Peace" will attract more than 1 million visitors from around the world in the first year after its creation. After several years, the number of tourists will increase to 3.5 million. According to organizers, this will positively affect the local economy. To date, small sculptural ensembles of the "Kind Angel of Peace" have been installed in 30 cities in Russia & abroad. A "Kind Angel of Peace" monument was unveiled in 2007 in the "Park of 850th Anniversary of Moscow" in the Russian capital."

After 2007 - "Monument to Disarmament & Life," Parque Tercer Milenio / Third Millennium Park, Bogota (Columbia). Across from the Institute of Forensic Medicine. "The 5,682 firearms collected during 14 days of disarmament between 1996 & 2007 are now [fused in] the base of a monument." /// "This park was originally a really rough neighbourhood notorious for guns, drugs & prostitution, but the government bulldozed the place several years ago, replacing the slum with a park & this memorial which was made with the metal of hundreds of melted down weapons. Ironically the sculpture originally was covered with loads of metal doves to signify peace, but these were subsequently snapped off and sold…potentially to buy drugs and guns."

April 23, 2009 - Millennium Tower, San Francisco, California (USA). "A 58-story highrise condominium completed in 2009 in the San Francisco Financial District, South of Market. A mixed-use building, primarily residential, it is the tallest building in San Francisco to include residences. The blue-gray glass, late-modernist tower is bounded by Mission, Fremont & Beale Streets & the north end of the Transbay Terminal. Its highest level, 58 floors above the ground, is listed as the 60th."

Future - Millennium Tower, Abuja (Nigeria). Currently under construction. "When finished, this structure will loom 170 meters above the city. The tower will be part of a huge cultural development complex called the Nigeria National Complex including the Nigeria Cultural Centre, a 120.000 m2 structure dedicated to the art & culture of Nigeria. The Cultural Centre & Millennium Tower have been designed by the Italian architect Manfredi Nicoletti." There is already a Millennium Park in Abuja.

Future - Millennium Tower World Business Center, Busan (South Korea). 106 floors. "An approved supertall skyscraper which The Solomon Group, a private Korean developer, intends to move forward with Asymptote’s design for a 560 m tall tower, which upon completion will be the tallest building in Asia. A newly minted approach where the notion of singularity & autonomy gives way to a strong juxtaposition of form & voids. Simultaneously a single entity, the towers are also read as three distinct forms set against Busan’s dramatic natural backdrop of sea & mountains. The base of the tower artfully negotiates the site at the entrance level while from the top of the midsection the three slender towers rise above the skylobby level & gracefully taper upwards around a spectacular central void. Through its formal & sculptural qualities this unique architectural expression is a powerful symbol of 21st century Busan & a beacon for its trajectory into the future & onto the global stage."

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