Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument

군인과 수병 기념비

The Indiana State Soldiers and Sailors Monument is a 284-foot-6-inch (86.72 m) neoclassical monument on Monument Circle, a circular brick-paved street in the center of downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. It was dedicated on May 15, 1902, and has become an iconic symbol of the city. It is the largest outdoor memorial in Indiana and the largest of its kind in the state.

See it on the 3D globe →

At a glance

Country: United States
Location: Indianapolis, USA
Built: 1902
Height: 87 m
Type: Monument

Quick answers

Where is Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument?

Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument is in Indianapolis, USA, United States.

When was Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument built?

Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument was built in 1902.

How tall is Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument?

Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument is about 87 m tall.

A neoclassical monument at the heart of Monument Circle, topped by a bronze statue of Victory.

The German architect Bruno Schmitz designed it, and it was built over 13 years, between 1888 and 1901. It was first meant to honor Hoosiers who were veterans of the Civil War, but it also honors Indiana's soldiers from the Revolutionary War, the conflicts that led to the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War and the Spanish-American War. It was the first monument in the United States dedicated to the common soldier.

Stone, water and sculpture

The obelisk is built of oolitic limestone from Owen County, Indiana. It rests on a raised base surrounded by pools and fountains, with broad stone steps on the north and south sides leading to two terraces. Above the bronze doors is the inscription 'To Indiana's Silent Victors.' A 30-foot bronze statue of Victory by George T. Brewster crowns the top. At the base are two huge limestone groups, War and Peace, by Rudolf Schwarz, along with smaller scenes, The Dying Soldier and The Return Home, and statues of figures such as George Rogers Clark and William Henry Harrison.

The circle at the heart of town

When Indianapolis was planned in 1821 by Alexander Ralston, it was given a circular 80-foot-wide street around a 3-acre round plot at its center. The site was first called the Governor's Circle because a governor's residence was meant to be built there. It was a hub of community life, used for religious services before there were churches and for a weekly market from 1822 to 1824. A governor's mansion was built in 1827 but no governor ever lived there, so it was used for offices instead.

Cost and views

The monument cost $598,318 at its dedication in 1902. It has been estimated that building something similar in 2014 would cost more than 500 million dollars. It stands about 21 feet shorter than the Statue of Liberty, and when it was finished it was the second tallest monument in the United States, behind the Washington Monument. An observation deck at the top can be reached by stairs or an elevator inside. The monument was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.