Documenting the historical links between people and places as recorded by commemorative plaques

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So far, plaque hunters around the world have found, photographed, and curated 54960 plaques. Use the search box in the top-right corner, or browse plaques by person, place

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Plaque Of The Day

Barclays automated teller machine, Enfield blue plaque

Jez says, "For 50 years it made daily life easier"

Place Of The Day

Norwich, United Kingdom

Norwich has a long history. It has been a city since 1094. From the Middle Ages until the Industrial Revolution, Norwich was the largest city in England after London and one of the most important. This is refelected in its plaques.

Most-viewed plaques

In the last 11 years, between 20 May 2009 to 6 Jan 2021, Open Plaques had 4,530,517 page views from 1,234,480 users. Some were triggered by internet memes such as Steve Ullathorne's 2012 image of a George Orwell plaque with a CCTV camera next to it. Others, such as those for Alan Turing, were probably triggered by an anniversary and campaign for recognition.

  1. George Orwell 1903-1950 novelist & political essayist lived here (19526 page views)
  2. Jacob von Hogflume 1864-1909 Inventor of time travel. lived here in 2189 (15077 page views)
  3. George Orwell 1903-1950 novelist and political essayist lived here (6390 page views)
  4. Jimi Hendrix 1942-1970 guitarist and songwriter lived here 1968-1969 (5714 page views)
  5. Alan Turing 1912-1954 founder of computer science and cryptographer, whose work was key to breaking the wartime Enigma codes, lived and died here. (4085 page views)
  6. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 1859-1930 creator of Sherlock Holmes lived here 1891-1894 (3846 page views)
  7. Alan Turing 1912-1954 code breaker lived here from 1945-1947 (3679 page views)
  8. This building housed the offices of Charles Dickens' magazine 'All The Year Round' and his private apartments 1859-1870 (3339 page views)
  9. Dame Agatha Christie 1890-1976 detective novelist and playwright lived here 1934-1941 (3027 page views)
  10. The Peterloo Massacre. On 16th August 1819, a peaceful rally of 60,000 pro-democracy reformers, men, women and children was attacked by armed cavalry resulting in 15 deaths and over 600 injuries. (3006 page views)

recently photographed plaques

Arwenack [full inscription unknown]

, Falmouth, United Kingdom

Hier wohnte Max Fürst Jg. 1905 1933-1934 KZ Columbiahaus und Oranienburg 1935 Ausreise/Israel

English translation:

Zolastr. 1, Mitte, Berlin, Germany

Subjects

В цьому будинку у 1906 р. присвоєна ступень доктора російської словесності видатному українському письменнику, вченому, критику, громадському діячу Івану Франку

13 Universitetskaya, Kharkiv, Ukraine

In ricordo delle rogazioni Associazione amici di montagna - Carzano A.D. 2019

English translation: In memory of the rogations Association of mountain friends - Carzano A.D. 2019 [AWS Translate]

Località Cavalo, Carzano, Italy

This Limestone column is the remains of Tewkesbury's first railway station, built in 1839, terminating the branch line from Ashchurch. Locomotives were forbidden to pass through its doors. It was redundant after the 1864 opening of the Upton line, a new station being built off Station Road. The building, subsequently used as meeting rooms, was demolished in 1929, leaving track and platform, until the Shopping Precinct was built by 1972.

103 High Street, Tewkesbury, United Kingdom

Bob Pelham 1919-1980 Founder of Pelham Puppets. Pelham Puppets were created in 1-3 Kingsbury Street by Bob Pelham and a small group of employees in 1947

1-3 Kingsbury Street, Marlborough, United Kingdom

Subjects

Firestone Bay Artillery Tower. This small building formed part of a system of coastal defenses constructed upon "divers frontiers of the realme" during the reign of Henry VIII. 1509 - 1547 similar towers survive at Devils Point and Fishers Nose.

North face of Artillery Tower, Durnford Street, Plymouth, United Kingdom

Subjects

Hier wohnte Clemens Högg, Jg. 1880, Widerstand/SPD, ab 1933 mehrmals 'Schutzhaft', 1939 Sachsenhausen, ermordet 11.3.1945, Bergen-Belsen

English translation: Clemens Högg, born in 1880, resistance/SPD, lived here several times “protective custody”, 1939 Sachsenhausen, murdered 11.3.1945, Bergen-Belsen [AWS Translate]

Metzstraße 37, Augsburg, Germany

Ici vécu l'écrivain Marcel Aymé 1902-1967

English translation: Marcel Aymé 1902-1967 writer lived here

2 Place Marcel Aymé, Paris, France

Subjects

Sir Donald Wolfit Actor - Manager (1902-1968) born in this house

8 London Road, Balderton, Newark-on-Trent, United Kingdom

Subjects

Torquato Tasso [full inscription unknown]

, Rome, Italy

Subjects

An dieser Stelle stand eines der ältesten Fachwerkhäuser Langenhagens aus dem Jahre 1433. Wie nur wenige Gebäude, überstand es unbeschadet den II. Weltkrieg. Am 6. März 1952 wurde es bei einem Großfeuer ein Raub der Flammen. Ursprünglich als Bauernhaus genutzt, baute es Ende des 19. Jh. Otto Niederstadt zu einem Gasthaus und Restaurant um. Schnell wurde das Haus beliebter Treffpunkt der Einwohner wie auch der Ausflügler, die von hier aus ihre Wanderungen in die Heide unternahmen. Häufiger Gast war Hermann Löns, der mit Niederstadt befreundet war. Als ab 1900 die „Elektrische“ Linie 19 vor dem Gasthaus ihre Endhaltestelle hatte, kamen viele Hannoveraner, erholten sich im Kaffeegarten und lauschten den Musikkapellen oder feierten mit der Dorfgemeinschaft das Heideblütenfest. Ironie der Geschichte: Die Freunde Otto Niederstadt und Hermann Löns starben beide am selben Tag – am 26. September 1914 – als Soldaten im I. Weltkrieg. Im Gasthaus tagte der Gemeindeausschuss von Langenhagen, später, nach 1945 der Gemeinderat. Nachdem das alte „St. Hubertus“ abgebrannt war, wurde im hinteren Grundstücksteil am „Pferdemarkt“ eine neue Gaststätte errichtet. Im Zusammenhang mit der Verbreiterung der Straße „Am Pferdemarkt“ musste dieser Neubau schon nach kurzer Zeit weichen und wurde 1969 abgerissen.

English translation: At this point stood one of the oldest half-timbered houses of Langenhagen dating back to 1433. Like only a few buildings, it survived World War II without prejudice. On March 6, 1952, it became a robbery of flames during a big fire. Originally used as a farmhouse, it converted Otto Niederstadt into an inn and restaurant at the end of the 19th century. The house quickly became a popular meeting place for the inhabitants as well as the excursionaries, who went on their hikes to the heath from here. A frequent guest was Hermann Löns, who was friends with Niederstadt. When the “Elektrische” line 19 had its final stop in front of the inn from 1900, many Hanoverian people came, recovered in the coffee garden and listened to the music bands or celebrated the heather blossom festival with the village community. Irony of history: The friends of Otto Niederstadt and Hermann Löns both died on the same day — September 26, 1914 — as soldiers during World War I. The municipal committee of Langenhagen met in the inn, later, after 1945, the municipal council. After the old “St. Hubertus” burned down, a new restaurant was built in the rear part of the property at the “Pferdemarkt”. In connection with the widening of the street “Am Pferdemarkt”, this new building had to give way after a short time and was demolished in 1969. [AWS Translate]

Walsroder Straße / Am Pferdemarkt, Langenhagen, Germany