Chandigarh, May 11 (IANS): A memorial to honour the martyrs of India's first War of Independence in 1857 will come up in Ambala Cantonment.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday laid the foundation stone of the war memorial which will come up in an area of 22 acres.

He said the first spark for the 1857 war of independence was ignited in Ambala, 45 km from here, and the memorial would commemorate that.

"The people, especially the youth, would get inspiration from the sacrifices made by our brave martyrs. Such unique memorial would also lend Amblala a new identity," Khattar in his addresson the occasion.

The war memorial will have six thematic parks. These will display history of the country before the British came, the expansion of the East India Company, the significance of Ambala in the first war of independence and the 1857 revolution in the country.

The memorial would have facilities like archives, a library, a 500-seater auditorium hall, helipad, conference hall, food court, covered parking, reception and a children's park.

Khattar said that a 'Shaheedi Mela' would be celebrated every year on May 10 at war memorial.