"I survived the climb to the top of the tower"

We visited Indianapolis on Saturday and climbed to the top of the Soldiers and Saillors Monument.  I wish we'd taken the elevator: the stairs were narrow and shallow - people have to squeeze past each other coming up or down.  I was looking forward to getting to the top, because for some reason I thought there would be a parapet with fresh air.  There wasn't - just a tiny area by the sealed windows, crowded with people.  It was stuffy, stinky and claustrophobic.  Could hardly wait to get out of there.  

The monument is fantastic, but I would recommend skipping the trip to the top.  If you want to go, take the elevator.

"It is about 21 feet  shorter than the 305-foot tall Statue of Liberty."

I am grateful to have made it to the top - and even more grateful I wasn't stiff and sore the next day.


The Indiana Soldiers and Sailors Monument is a monument located on Monument Circle in the center of Indianapolis. It was designed by German architect Bruno Schmitz and completed in 1901.  Bruno Schmitz brought with him Rudolf Schwarz. Schwarz was sculptor for the statuary groups "War" and "Peace", "The Dying Soldier", "The Homefront" and the four statues at the corners of the Monument that represents the Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery, and Navy.

At the top of the Monument is an observation deck that can be reached by stairs at no cost or by elevator for a $2.00 charge (elevator brings you to the level just under the observation deck, with 30 additional steps). The staircase contains 331 steps, 330 of which are numbered. 

The Circle is the standard symbol of the city of Indianapolis, and the flag of Indianapolis is an iconic representation of Monument Circle.

The Monument was erected to honor Hoosiers who were veterans of the American Revolution, territorial conflicts that partially led up to the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the US Civil War, and the Spanish American War. 

In 1902 the cost to build this Monument was (US) $598,318. It has been estimated that building a similar structure today would cost over $500,000,000.

It is about 21 feet (6.4 m) shorter than the 305-foot (93 m) tall Statue of Liberty.

Indianapolis was founded in 1821, and the city's layout was platted by Alexander Ralston, whose design included a circle at the center of the city. The circle, a 3-acre (1.2 ha) plot surrounded by an 80-foot (24 m) wide street, was originally called the Governor's Circle because it was to serve as the site of the governor's residence. The Governor's Mansion was built there in 1827. However, due to the mansion's public location and poor construction, no governor ever lived there, and it was torn down in 1857.

As Indianapolis grew and developed after the Civil War, the area became a popular meeting place and was designated Circle Park. In 1884, a statue of Oliver P. Morton, governor during the Civil War, was dedicated at the center of the park.

Many times after the Civil War suggestions were made for a monument to be built to honor Indiana's veterans. Action was finally taken in 1887 when the Indiana General Assembly made a $200,000 grant and formed a Monument Commission.  Seventy designs were submitted in the international contest, of which two were chosen for further consideration. The commissioners then unanimously chose the design called Symbol of Indiana by the Prussian architect Bruno Schmitz, who was named supervising architect and paid a commission of 5% of the monument's total cost.

The cornerstone was laid on August 22, 1889. Inside it is a copper box containing a list of all Indiana soldiers as well as newspapers, the Constitution of Indiana, a national flag, and other related paraphernalia. Ceremonies included a speech by President Benjamin Harrison, the firing of artillery, and a parade. It was the first monument dedicated to the common soldier. The structure took twelve years to complete, and more funds were required. The legislature appropriated an additional $160,000 and raised over $123,000 with an additional property tax. 

In 1893 the circle was renamed Monument Place. The Indiana State Soldiers and Sailors Monument was formally dedicated on May 15, 1902. After a parade of flags with veterans of the Mexican, Civil, and Spanish-American Wars, General Lew Wallace was the master of ceremonies. Poet James Whitcomb Riley read his poem "The Soldier". John Philip Sousa had composed a march for the occasion entitled "The Messiah of the Nations". 

In 1918 a museum opened in the basement of the monument with equipment and artifacts from the Civil War. Flood lights were added to the surrounding candelabra in 1928. 

Since 1945, the monument has been decorated for Christmas, and in 1962 it was first decorated as the "world's largest Christmas tree", with garlands and cables of lights stretching to the top.

A series of repairs to the Monument began in September 2009. Angled windows, which had allowed some rain to seep in, were replaced with vertical windows, and steel supports for the Victory statue were replaced.