Indianapolis is Indiana’s capital and largest city, with an impressive collection of monuments, memorials, and government buildings throughout its downtown. Above are two photos from around the Indiana Statehouse and surrounding government district. The city turned out to have much more interesting architecture and history than I expected before visiting.
One of the most recognizable landmarks in Indianapolis is the Soldiers and Sailors Monument at the center of Monument Circle. The monument dominates the heart of downtown and commemorates Indiana veterans who served in several American wars. The second photo shows another view of the Indianapolis skyline from White River State Park.
During the 1830s, Indiana began an ambitious effort to build canals that could transport goods across the state. The project ultimately ran into financial problems and much of the planned system was never completed. Today, the surviving Central Canal through downtown Indianapolis has been transformed into one of the city’s most attractive recreational areas. Museums, parks, and other attractions line the water, while the canal itself can be explored along a pedestrian path. Above are two photos I took of the canal at night.
Downtown Indianapolis has plenty of restaurants, hotels, shops, and attractions within a relatively compact area. The first photo shows the Indianapolis Artsgarden, a glass-enclosed structure suspended above an intersection and connected to surrounding buildings by skywalks. The second photo shows one of the restaurants I came across while exploring downtown.
These two photos were taken around the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. Horse-drawn carriages offered rides through the downtown area, adding a completely different atmosphere to the streets around Monument Circle. Nearby, I came across a building that had used its illuminated windows to create a giant American flag across its exterior.
Exploring Indianapolis on foot also turned up some smaller details that caught my attention. One was this illuminated walkway, where brightly colored lights transformed an otherwise ordinary pedestrian area. I also came across some graffiti outside the main downtown district, another small glimpse of the city away from its monuments and major attractions.
Another impressive building I came across was the Scottish Rite Cathedral. Completed in 1929, the massive Gothic-style structure was designed with symbolism connected to Freemasonry throughout its architecture. Many of its dimensions are deliberately divisible by three, while the number 33 also appears repeatedly in reference to the 33 degrees associated with the Scottish Rite.
The Indianapolis 500 is one of the most famous automobile races in the world and has been held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway since 1911. The speedway can accommodate hundreds of thousands of spectators, making race day one of the largest sporting events anywhere in the world. There wasn’t a race taking place during my visit, so I did the next best thing and explored the museum at the speedway. Its collection includes historic race cars and exhibits covering generations of Indianapolis racing history. One of the cars I photographed had won the 2005 Brickyard 400, while another photo shows a group of kids visiting one of the museum’s main exhibits.
My last stop was Crown Hill Cemetery, which sits on the highest natural point in Indianapolis. Established during the Civil War era, Crown Hill grew into one of the largest cemeteries in the United States and is the final resting place of many notable Americans. Among those buried here is Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd president of the United States.
