Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument {Indianapolis}

On our way home from a trip to Columbus, Ohio, we stopped to stretch our legs by walking through the downtown area of Indianapolis. Immediately, the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument caught my attention. We opted to circle it and see what the monument was all about.

Unfortunately, the monument was being restored at the time of our visit so our view was a bit obstructed by scaffolding. However, the impressive nature of the monument could still be felt. The sculpture of the soldier returning home is particularly poignant.

A soldier returns home.

The monument was built during a 13 year period from 1888-1901 from oolitic limestone from Owen County in Indiana. The monument serves to honor Hoosiers that served in the American Revolution, territorial wars, the War of 1812,  the Mexican-American War, the Civil War and the Spanish- American War.

Bronze statues like this of George Rogers Clark highlight key figures.

Bronze statues surrounding the monument honor important Indiana figures during the conflicts reflected upon. Every section of the monument beckons for a pause in admiration including the ornate candelabra.

Ornate candelabra worthy of further inspection!

You can mount the monument for great views of downtown Indianapolis from 275 feet up. There is a small fee and you can either take the elevator or the stairs. We took the stairs up and elevator down. The stairs are narrow, so be aware of that.

View of Indiana War Memorial from Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument.

Indiana State Capitol Building from Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial.

In the basement of the monument is the Colonel Eli Lilly Civil War Museum. We did not have time to peruse the museum this time but hope to make a stop on another visit. The monument is widely recognized as outstanding and we certainly agree. All in all, quite a find for a little diversion while on the road!