TheĀ Indiana State Soldiers and Sailors Monument is the tallest and largest monument in Indiana. I had never visited Indianapolis before and as we came down the streets from the Interstate, I was impressed by the public areas of the city that we passed. Several visitors from other countries had told me that the city impressed them with its beauty and I was looking for it. The attractiveness of many of its parks and buildings did turn out to verify my friends assessment. As we drove into the center of town, my wife and I were overcome by the magnificence of the The Indiana State Soldiers and Sailors Monument at Monument Circle.
Monument Circle comes at the intersection Meridian and Market streets. The Circle is made up of three lanes of traffic and is surrounded by offices, businesses, and restaurants. Honestly, I hate monuments built on islands enclosed by traffic lanes like Grant Army Plaza in Brooklyn where every year visitors get hit by trucks and cars speeding around them. This plaza was, however, more relaxed. There was less traffic than I would have seen around similar sites in Washington or New York, and the traffic control system seemed to be better than other places I have visited. The Circle is large, tables and chairs around it, as well as several food vendors and a truck selling wine and beer. Unlike some other monuments, this was surrounded by people looking at it, taking pictures, or have their lunch al fresco. If you are looking for directions on how to get to the monument, just type “Monument Circle” into Google Maps.
The monument is 284 feet and six inches tall. It was dedicated on May 15, 1902 after work of more than thirteen years. Bruno Schmitz was the German architect who designed it. He was famous for his monuments to military conquests in Europe. While the original purpose was to honor Indianans who served it the Civil War, its final form, while concentrating on the Civil War, also honors veterans of other wars.
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