Indiana War Memorial Plaza National Historic Landmark

The Indiana World War Memorial building was modeled after the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, one of the seven wonders of the world. This known jewel of the Indiana War Memorial Plaza was designed to house the magnificent Hoosier valor and sacrifices made during the World War (World War I). The American Institute of Architects has acclaimed it "The Most Significant Piece of Architecture in Indiana".

Construction began in 1926, and the cornerstone was laid on July 4, 1927 by General John J. Pershing. The Memorial was nearly complete in 1928, but due to funding building was not fully complete until 1965.

Rising 210 feet above ground-level, the Memorial displays numerous plaza and promenade-level vistas surrounding the central building. This breathtaking colonnade, statues, and stepped ziggurat roof form enhance the symbolic blue-accented beacon.

Experience the awe-inspiring interior of the Memorial. The main floor includes the Grand Foyer, administrative offices, meeting rooms and the spectacular 500-seat Pershing Auditorium. The lower level houses a Military Museum which tells the proud story of Indiana's veterans. The Shrine Room is the essence of the building, a profound expression of peace and unity following World War I.

Exterior Highlights

★ All of the exterior



entries of the memorial are bronze. The monumental Shrine doors at the promenade level are sculpted cast bronze, weighted over 6000 pounds. Above the main entry, Indiana limestone is inscribed with a portion of the law generated by the Indiana General Assembly that created the Indiana War Memorial Plaza.

★ The south stars, rising continuously from the sidewalk, to the promenade level, form the backdrop for Pro Patria.

★ The main material of the Indiana World War Memorial is Indiana limestone. These are sculpted limestone urns and guardian hand at each corner and of the grand stair to the promenade level.

★ Experience the magnificent plain vistas from the promenade level. The view from the north promenade encompasses the remaining three blocks of the plaza, reminiscent of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and culminates as the Marion County Public Library - to the south is University Park and the United States Courthouse.

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