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 Hours 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Wednesday - Sunday Business Offices: 431 North Meridian Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204. Open 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Monday through Friday. Closed weekends and holidays. Phone: 317 232-7615 The Soldiers and Sailors Monument is the centerpiece of Monument Circle at the heart of downtown Indianapolis. The monument was built in 1902 from a design commissioned to Bruno Schmidz of Berlin, Prussia. The monument stands 284 feet, six inches tall and is made of oolitic limestone from Owen County in southern Indiana. There are numerous art works built into the monument and others scattered around the grounds surrounding it. The memorial is seen as a symbol not only of Indianapolis, but the State of Indiana as well. The monument houses the Eli Lily Civil War Museum in the lower level. The museum features numerous exhibits relating Indiana's role in the Civil War and the stories of some of these soldiers. After visiting the museum, you will find excellent views of downtown Indianapolis from observation decks just above street level. From here you can see the impressive tall buildings surrounding the circle and obtain great scenes down north and south Meridian Street, East Market Street towards City Market and West Market as it looks directly at the Indiana State Capitol Building. You may then either climb the 330 stairs, or take the elevator for a vista of the city from the top of the monument. A number of activities and events are planned around the Memorial each year and is a "must see" for any visitor to the "Circle City". |