What does Christopher Wren’s Latin epitaph at St. Paul’s Cathedral mean?

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Christopher Wren Sir Christopher Wren, detail of an oil painting by Sir Godfrey Kneller, 1711; in the National Portrait Gallery, London.

The Latin epitaph for Christopher Wren located at St. Paul’s Cathedral is: "Lector, si monumentum requiris, circumspice."12

Translated into English, this means: "Reader, if you seek a monument, look about you."123

Composed by his son, the inscription serves as a tribute to Wren’s legacy as the architect of the cathedral. By directing visitors to "look around," the epitaph suggests that the magnificent structure itself—rather than a traditional statue or marker—is the most fitting monument to his life's work.123