Main alleys along the rotunda
Sailors and Soldiers Monument - Monument Circle
Downtown Indy seen form the Monument Circle's Observation Deck
Downtown Indy seen form the Monument Circle's Observation Deck
Downtown Indy seen from the White River State Park
Downtown Indy seen from the White River Park
In January 1821 the site where Indianapolis is now located was designated as such, and the city was created.
The name Indianapolis comes from the word Indiana, which means "land of the Indians" and the Greek word for city, Polis, which means "center of", as Indianapolis is located geographically in the center of the state.
State records and the state treasury physically moved to Indianapolis in October 1824. The trip took eleven days and required four four-horse wagons. The roads were such that only two and one-half miles were made the first day.
The government of the state was officially transferred to Indianapolis on January 10, 1825, when the legislature convened for its regular session.
Originally designed to honor the memory of Indiana's Civil War Veterans, it now commemorates the valor of Indiana's military men and women in all wars prior to World War I.
Since 1902, the Monument has stood a tribute to the past and an inspiration for the future as the only Civil War Monument in America dedicated to ordinary soldiers and sailors.
The balcony, 231 feet above the ground, is enclosed in glass and provides a breathtaking panorama of the city.
