si monumentum requiris, circumspice

if you seek his monument, look around you

On February 25, 1723, at the age of ninety-one, Sir Christopher Wren closed his eyes for the last time. His faithful servant entered his room, thinking the old man had napped longer than usual after his dinner, and found him dead in his chair. His funeral was well attended as it made its way from his house in St. James Street to St. Paul’s Cathedral where his body was interred in the crypt. His son Christopher composed his epitaph:

SUBTUS CONDITUR
HUIUS ECCLESIÆ ET VRBIS CONDITOR
CHRISTOPHORUS WREN,
QUI VIXIT ANNOS ULTRA NONAGINTA,
NON SIBI SED BONO PUBLICO.
LECTOR SI MONUMENTUM REQUIRIS
CIRCUMSPICE
Obijt XXV Feb: An°: MDCCXXIII Æt: XCI.

Here in its foundations lies
the architect of this church and city,
Christopher Wren,
who lived beyond ninety years,
not for his own profit but for the public good.
Reader, if you seek his monument,
look around you.
Died 25 Feb. 1723, age 91.

The phrase, si monumentum requiris, circumspice, of course refers to St. Paul’s as Wren’s monument. It has since become a particularly well-known epitaph, often favored by architects.

Sir Christopher Wren

Parentalia

Epitaph

Architecture & Urban Design