Abstract. Let Mm (m > 3) be a compact, connected PL manifold and let X Q M be a proper, closed subset of the interior of M such that for each open, connected subset U Ç M either U -(X n U) is connected or X n bd(t7) ^0. Let P be a connected and simply connected polyhedron with dim P > 3. There exists a monotone mapping / from M onto P with each component of X being a point-inverse of/. In the case with M oriented and P the 771-sphere, there exists such a monotone mapping of each degree. that for each open, connected subset U C M either U -(X n U) is connected or X n bd(U) ¥=0, then there is a monotone mapping/from M onto the m-sphere with each component of X being a point-inverse of /. These results are generalized in two ways. First, if P is a simply connected polyhedron with dim P > 3, then there is a monotone mapping / from M onto P with each component of X being a point-inverse of /. Second, if M is oriented, then there is such a monotone mapping onto the m-sphere of each degree. The mappings constructed by Bing, Bean and Coram have degree ± 1 ; PL monotone mappings between manifolds of the same dimension have degree ± 1 and their mappings are "almost" PL.In general, the assumption that P be simply connected cannot be omitted since monotone mappings between ANR's induce surjections between fundamental groups. Adopting a point of view used in [Wa-1], , a generalization to the nonsimply connected case is possible; such a generalization will appear in a subsequent paper.Since there are limitations placed on those compacta which are monotone images of 2-dimensional manifolds [Ho], [Mo], [R-S], [Yo], the assumption that Mm have dimension at least three is essential. However, the first result holds for certain simply connected 2-dimensional polyhedra and, if X is connected, for simply connected 1-dimensional polyhedra.The main tool used in the proofs of the above results is an extension theorem in ; roughly, the theorem says that if a mapping from the boundary of an w-manifold (777 > 3) to a simply connected ANR has an