John Lennon: 9 Memorial Tributes from Around the World
John Lennon has inspired a number of memorial tributes since his untimely death on December 8, 1980. The circumstances around Lennon’s death understandly was a shock to the world. The…
John Lennon has inspired a number of memorial tributes since his untimely death on December 8, 1980.
The circumstances around Lennon's death understandly was a shock to the world. The former Beatle was murdered outside of The Dakota, the luxury apartment building where he lived on New York City's Upper West Side. In a time before the internet and social media, many Americans found out about his tragic death from Howard Cosell on Monday Night Football.
"Remember: This is just a football game, no matter who wins or loses," began Cosell during the live broadcast. "An unspeakable tragedy confirmed to us by ABC News in New York City. John Lennon, outside of his apartment building on the west side of New York City, the most famous perhaps of all of The Beatles, shot twice in the back. Rushed to Roosevelt Hospital. Dead on arrival."
A piece from ESPN on the 30th anniversary of Lennon's death detailed the behind-the-scenes goings-on of Cosell’s now-infamous announcement. At first, the legendary sportscaster almost didn’t deliver the earth-shattering news. The piece features off-the-air audio of Cosell and announcer Frank Gifford discussing whether or not to break the news during the game. While Cosell was on the fence about breaking the news, Gifford tells him, "You've got to. If we know it, we've got to do it...Don't hang on it. It's a tragic moment and this is going to shake up the whole world."
Gifford, sadly, was correct. Lennon's murder is still considered one of rock history's biggest and most senseless tragedies. Fans to this day mark the loss of Lennon in some way. One of the ways includes visiting one of the many memorials that have been erected in his honor.
From Liverpool to New York City to Cuba, here are nine different memorial tributes to Lennon from around the world.
John Lennon Statue outside the Cavern Club - Liverpool, England
Christopher Furlong/Getty ImagesIt should be no surprise that there are a number of Lennon tributes scattered throughout Liverpool. Among them is a statue outside the original location of the famous Cavern Club.
Imagine Peace Tower - Reykjavík, Iceland
KatrinAsa/Shutterstock.comThe Imagine Peace Tower, an outdoor art installation in Reykjavík, Iceland, was created by Yoko Ono and unveiled on Lennon’s 67th birthday.
Strawberry Fields - Central Park in New York City
Spencer Platt/Getty ImagesJust like Liverpool, there are plenty of tributes to Lennon in New York City. Without a doubt, the most famous would have to be Strawberry Fields in Central Park.
Parque John Lennon - Havana, Cuba
lulu and isabelle/Shutterstock.comLocated in Cuba's capital, Parque John Lennon features a statue of the late musician sitting on a bench that was unveiled on December 8, 2000, the 20th anniversary of Lennon's death.
The Hard Days Night Hotel - Liverpool, England
Christopher Furlong/Getty ImagesLocated near the Cavern Club, The Hard Days Night Hotel is a four-star hotel that opened in 2008 and features 110 rooms. Statues of all of the Beatles can be found on the hotel's façade .
The Lennon Wall - Prague, Czech Republic
kaprik/Shutterstock.comThe Lennon Wall has been a popular tourist attraction for a number of years now. The wall and its graffiti was a reaction to Lennon’s death in 1980, and since Western imagery was banned in a then Czechoslovakia due to Communism rule, the wall was part tribute-part peaceful protest. In November 2014, the wall was suddenly painted white, and the message “Wall Is Over” was left. Days later, people started painting more Lennon graffiti on the blank canvas and changed the message to “War Is Over.”
The Lennon Wall - Hong Kong
Anthony Kwan/Getty ImagesSimilar to Prague, The Lennon Wall in Hong Kong was a form of peaceful protest beginning in 2014. In the description of this photo via Getty Images, "The origins of Hong Kong's Lennon Wall dated back to the Umbrella Movement in 2014, when protesters covered a wall outside government headquarters with Post-it notes to express their frustrations and aspirations...'Lennon Wall' message boards became a phenomenon across Hong Kong in 2019 after protests against a controversial extradition bill began as hundreds and thousands of handwritten messages sprung up to show support for pro-democracy protesters."
Ellis Island Tapestry - New York City
Jamie McCarthy/Getty ImagesIn July 2015, Yoko One and U2's Bono and The Edge, in association with Amnesty International, helped unveil a special tapestry at Ellis Island that honored John Lennon.
Liverpool John Lennon Airport - Liverpool, England
Sion Touhig/Getty ImagesIn 2001, the Speke Airport in Liverpool was renamed the Liverpool John Lennon Airport. Yoko Ono was on hand for the renaming ceremony, which included the unveiling of a 7-foot-tall bronze statue of Lennon.
