Notice the 284-foot neoclassical monument rising where Meridian and Market streets cross Monument Circle in the heart of downtown Indianapolis. Designed by German architect Bruno Schmitz and built over a thirteen-year period between 1888 and 1901, it received its public dedication on May 15, 1902 and in the years since has become an iconic symbol of Indianapolis. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 13, 1973 and was included in an expansion of the Indiana World War Memorial Plaza National Historic Landmark District in December 2016; it is located in the Washington Street-Monument Circle Historic District.
The monument was originally intended to honor Hoosiers who were veterans of the American Civil War, but it also stands as a tribute to Indiana soldiers of the American Revolutionary War, territorial conflicts that partially led to the War of 1812, the Mexican–American War, and the Spanish–American War. Its 284-foot neoclassical bulk makes it the largest outdoor memorial in Indiana, and from its base you can trace Meridian and Market streets to where they meet the circular brick paving of Monument Circle.