Burns Monument, Kilmarnock facts for kids

The Burns Monument

The Burns Monument is a special building in Kay Park, Kilmarnock, Scotland. It was built to remember a famous Scottish poet named Robert Burns (1759–1796). You can find it on a hill in Kay Park, just east of Kilmarnock town centre. The monument first opened in 1879. It's considered an important historical building. In 2004, a fire damaged part of it. But don't worry, it was fixed and made bigger! It reopened in 2009 as the Burns Monument Centre, which is now a place where people can research their family history.

How the Monument Came to Be

Kilmarnock has a special connection to Robert Burns. The very first collection of his poems was printed right here in 1786. A local printer named John Wilson printed these books. Only 612 copies were made, and they are now super rare! These special books are known as Kilmarnock Editions.

The monument around 1900, when it was first built

On Burns Night in 1877, people decided they wanted to build a memorial for Robert Burns in Kilmarnock. Money started coming in very quickly from people who wanted to help. Because so much money was raised, the organisers decided to build a whole building, not just a statue.

In October, a design by a local architect named Robert S Ingram was chosen. He started drawing up the plans. Then, a competition was held to design the statue of Burns. Twenty-one artists entered, and William Grant Stevenson from Edinburgh won. The first stone of the monument was laid on 14 September 1878.

Opening the Monument

In August 1879, the large Kay Park, which is about 40 acres big, was officially opened. The Burns Monument was the main feature of the park. The statue of Robert Burns was officially shown to everyone on 9 August by Colonel Charles Alexander. The monument cost about £1,500 to build, and the statue cost another £800.

The monument's design is a mix of many old styles. It has parts that look like Scottish castles, old Gothic churches, and buildings from Italy. It even has some fancy Baroque and Romanesque touches. The original building had a two-storey museum. On top was an 80-foot-tall tower with a pointy spire. Inside a porch at the front was a life-size white marble statue of Burns. From the top of the tower, you could see amazing views all over Kilmarnock. Robert Ingram, the architect, thought this monument was his best work ever.

Images for kids

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  The redeveloped extension