Downtown Indianapolis
Encyclopedia
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, USA. The boundaries of downtown Indianapolis have varied over time as the city has grown. The city's original platted area, the Mile Square, (bounded by North, South, East, and West streets) is sometimes used to denote the downtown area. However, the Indianapolis Regional Center Plan, which is the official plan for Downtown Indianapolis, defines the boundaries to be 16th Street on the north, Interstate 65
Interstate 65 in Indiana
In the U.S. state of Indiana, Interstate 65 traverses the state from south to north. The Indiana portion begins near Louisville, Kentucky and travels north, passing through Columbus, Indianapolis, Lafayette. Interstate 65 terminates near Gary on the Indiana Toll Road. Interstate 65 covers 261.27...
/70
Interstate 70 in Indiana
In the U.S. state of Indiana, Interstate 70 travels east–west across the state passing through Indianapolis. Interstate 70 crosses into Indiana near Terre Haute and crosses into Ohio in Richmond. It covers 156.60 miles in Indiana. It parallels U.S...
on the east, Interstate 70 on the south and the Belt Railroad on the west. The Regional Center therefore encompasses not only the Mile Square, but also the Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis campus, White River State Park
White River State Park
White River State ParkDesignationState ParkLocationIndianapolis, Indiana USANearest CityIndianapolis, IndianaArea Date of Establishment1979Governing Body...
, and the Eli Lilly and Company
Eli Lilly and Company
Eli Lilly and Company is a global pharmaceutical company. Eli Lilly's global headquarters is located in Indianapolis, Indiana, in the United States...
corporate headquarters.
History
Indianapolis's downtown has undergone a transformation from a place of vacant storefronts and little activity to that of a dynamic urban district. In the 1970s, the city suffered from the problems that affected other Rust Belt
Rust Belt
The Rust Belt is a term that gained currency in the 1980s as the informal description of an area straddling the Midwestern and Northeastern United States, in which local economies traditionally garnered an increased manufacturing sector to add jobs and corporate profits...
cities, such as decreased economic activity, white flight
White flight
White flight has been a term that originated in the United States, starting in the mid-20th century, and applied to the large-scale migration of whites of various European ancestries from racially mixed urban regions to more racially homogeneous suburban or exurban regions. It was first seen as...
, and racial tension. As a result, downtown Indianapolis was not a desirable place to be in the 1970s. The City of Indianapolis dealt with these issues and came up with solutions to revitalize the city's downtown.
Modern skyscraper
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
s were constructed in the area during the 1980s, including the Chase Tower
Chase Tower (Indianapolis)
Opened in 1990 near Monument Circle in Indianapolis, the Chase Tower is the tallest building in Indianapolis. It surpassed the AUL Tower in Indianapolis for the distinction...
(built 1990). Revitalization of the Central Canal
Indiana Central Canal
The Indiana Central Canal was a canal intended to connect the Wabash and Erie Canal to the Ohio River. It was funded by the Mammoth Internal Improvement Act, Indiana's attempt to take part in the canal-building craze, started by the Erie Canal. $3.5 million was allocated for the project, the...
followed. This, along with plans for a new downtown mall, basketball arena, and new attractions such as museums, helped to revitalize Downtown Indianapolis.
Thirty-six apartment buildings in downtown Indianapolis are listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in the Apartments and Flats of Downtown Indianapolis Thematic Resources
Apartments and Flats of Downtown Indianapolis Thematic Resources
The Apartments and Flats of Downtown Indianapolis Thematic Resources is a multiple property submission of apartments on the National Register of Historic Places in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana...
.
Tourism
TourismTourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
is a large part of the economy of Downtown Indianapolis, due in large part to the presence of the Indiana Convention Center
Indiana Convention Center
The Indiana Convention Center is a convention center located in Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. It contains over of open exhibit space and almost of group meeting space. It was finished in late 1983 along with the Hoosier Dome , which it was connected to prior the Dome's deconstruction in 2008....
. White River State Park
White River State Park
White River State ParkDesignationState ParkLocationIndianapolis, Indiana USANearest CityIndianapolis, IndianaArea Date of Establishment1979Governing Body...
attracts tourists with the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, the Indiana State Museum
Indiana State Museum
The Indiana State Museum is a museum located within White River State Park in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. The museum houses exhibits on the history of Indiana from prehistoric times up to the present day. It has one of the four IMAX theaters in the state of Indiana.-History:The museum was started...
, the NCAA Hall of Champions
NCAA Hall of Champions
The NCAA Hall of Champions is a museum, exhibition center, and conference center that is located adjacent to the national office of the National Collegiate Athletic Association in White River State Park in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States...
, the Indianapolis Zoo
Indianapolis Zoo
The Indianapolis Zoo in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, first opened to the public in 1964. Its current home in White River State Park was opened in 1988 with a size of . The zoo hosts more than a million visitors each year and plays a role in worldwide conservation and research, including...
, and White River Gardens
White River Gardens
The White River Gardens are botanical gardens located adjacent to the Indianapolis Zoo at 1200 West Washington Street, Indianapolis, Indiana. The gardens are a part of the White River State Park....
; the Central Canal
Indiana Central Canal
The Indiana Central Canal was a canal intended to connect the Wabash and Erie Canal to the Ohio River. It was funded by the Mammoth Internal Improvement Act, Indiana's attempt to take part in the canal-building craze, started by the Erie Canal. $3.5 million was allocated for the project, the...
connects the park to other parts of downtown. Lucas Oil Stadium
Lucas Oil Stadium
Lucas Oil Stadium is a multi-purpose sports stadium in Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The stadium celebrated its grand opening on August 24, 2008, and its ribbon-cutting ceremony August 16, 2008. It replaced the RCA Dome as the home field of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts. The stadium was built to...
and Conseco Fieldhouse
Conseco Fieldhouse
Conseco Fieldhouse is a multi-purpose arena located in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Opened in November 1999 to replace Market Square Arena, it is home to the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association and the Indiana Fever of the Women's National Basketball Association...
host professional sports as well as music concerts and other events. The Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument
Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument (Indianapolis)
The Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument is a tall neoclassical monument in the center of Indianapolis, Indiana that was designed by German architect Bruno Schmitz and completed in 1901....
and the Indiana World War Memorial Plaza
Indiana World War Memorial Plaza
The Indiana World War Memorial Plaza is an urban feature located in Indianapolis, Indiana, originally built to honor the veterans of World War I. The five-city-block plaza was conceived in 1919 as a location for the national headquarters of the American Legion and a memorial to the state's and...
are two of historical landmark attractions in Downtown Indianapolis.
Shopping and Cinemas
Downtown Indianapolis attractions include the Circle CentreCircle Centre
Circle Centre is a large indoor shopping mall located in downtown Indianapolis. Plans for a downtown Indianapolis mall had been in development by the Simon Property Group since 1979. Circle Centre was opened to the public on September 8, 1995, adjoining Simon corporate headquarters, and...
Mall, which is considered to be one of the most successful downtown malls in the country. Circle Centre
Circle Centre
Circle Centre is a large indoor shopping mall located in downtown Indianapolis. Plans for a downtown Indianapolis mall had been in development by the Simon Property Group since 1979. Circle Centre was opened to the public on September 8, 1995, adjoining Simon corporate headquarters, and...
Mall also has GameWorks Studios
GameWorks
GameWorks is a chain of entertainment venues featuring video games, simulators, prizes, and a full service bar and restaurant. There are 7 GameWorks venues throughout the U.S. The first GameWorks opened in Downtown Seattle in March 1997....
arcade (now known as Tilt) and a nine-screen United Artists
United Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
movie theater
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
. The Indiana State Museum
Indiana State Museum
The Indiana State Museum is a museum located within White River State Park in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. The museum houses exhibits on the history of Indiana from prehistoric times up to the present day. It has one of the four IMAX theaters in the state of Indiana.-History:The museum was started...
has an IMAX
IMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
theater that shows documentaries and delayed releases of commercial IMAX movies. The Massachusetts Avenue
Massachusetts Avenue, Indianapolis
Massachusetts Avenue, or simply "Mass Ave", is one of six designated cultural districts in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is located just a few blocks northeast of Monument Circle. Massachusetts Avenue was one of the four original diagonal streets of downtown Indianapolis in Alexander Ralston's plan of...
Cultural District is home to a number of independent shops and boutiques.
Transportation
Union Station (Indianapolis)
The Indianapolis Union Station was the first union station in the world, opening on September 20, 1853, by the Indianapolis Union Railway within the Wholesale District of Indianapolis, Indiana at 39 Jackson Place...
in the world, demonstrating the city's late nineteenth-century heritage as a rail hub, only two trains currently stop in Indianapolis, namely, the Amtrak Hoosier State and Amtrak Cardinal. Indianapolis Amtrak Station
Indianapolis (Amtrak station)
Indianapolis is an Amtrak station in Indianapolis, Indiana, served by the Cardinal and is the eastern terminus of the Hoosier State. It was also served by the Kentucky Cardinal until July 5, 2003. The station is adjacent to Lucas Oil Stadium...
and Greyhound
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
bus station are located next to the Indianapolis Union Station. Megabus is another bus service that connects downtown Indianapolis to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Cincinnati, and Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
IndyGo is the city bus service that connects downtown to other parts of the city. There are IndyGo bus stops to almost every corner of the downtown.
Attractions
Developments in Downtown Indianapolis include the creation of the Cultural Trail throughout downtown, construction of new mid to high rise buildings, and the enlargement of the convention centerIndiana Convention Center
The Indiana Convention Center is a convention center located in Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. It contains over of open exhibit space and almost of group meeting space. It was finished in late 1983 along with the Hoosier Dome , which it was connected to prior the Dome's deconstruction in 2008....
.
Cultural Districts
Five of the six designated Cultural DistrictsIndianapolis Cultural Districts
Indianapolis has six designated neighborhoods as Cultural Districts: Broad Ripple Village, Massachusetts Avenue, Fountain Square, the Wholesale District, the Canal & White River State Park, and Indiana Avenue.-Broad Ripple Village:...
of Indianapolis are in or adjoining downtown. They are Massachusetts Avenue
Massachusetts Avenue, Indianapolis
Massachusetts Avenue, or simply "Mass Ave", is one of six designated cultural districts in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is located just a few blocks northeast of Monument Circle. Massachusetts Avenue was one of the four original diagonal streets of downtown Indianapolis in Alexander Ralston's plan of...
, Fountain Square
Fountain Square, Indianapolis
Fountain Square is one of six designated cultural districts in Indianapolis, Indiana.-History:In 1835, Calvin Fletcher and Nicholas McCarty purchased a farm in what would became the Fountain Square neighborhood. Although the earliest settlement was sparse and primarily residential, substantial...
, the Wholesale District, the Canal and White River State Park, and Indiana Avenue
Indiana Avenue
Indiana Avenue is a historic area in downtown and is one of six designated cultural districts in Indianapolis, Indiana. Indiana Avenue was, during its glory days, an African American cultural center of the area....
. These areas have held historic and cultural importance to the city. In recent years they have been revitalized and are becoming major centers for tourism, commerce and residential living.
Georgia Street in downtown is being renovated to serve as a Super Bowl Village during the Super Bowl XLVI
Super Bowl XLVI
Super Bowl XLVI will be the 46th annual edition of the Super Bowl in American football, and the 42nd annual championship game of the modern-era National Football League . It will be held on February 5, 2012 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. This will be the first Super Bowl to be...
.
White River State Park
White River State Park
White River State ParkDesignationState ParkLocationIndianapolis, Indiana USANearest CityIndianapolis, IndianaArea Date of Establishment1979Governing Body...
is considered America’s only urban cultural state park with attractions like Indiana State Museum
Indiana State Museum
The Indiana State Museum is a museum located within White River State Park in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. The museum houses exhibits on the history of Indiana from prehistoric times up to the present day. It has one of the four IMAX theaters in the state of Indiana.-History:The museum was started...
and IMAX
IMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
Theater, Indianapolis Zoo
Indianapolis Zoo
The Indianapolis Zoo in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, first opened to the public in 1964. Its current home in White River State Park was opened in 1988 with a size of . The zoo hosts more than a million visitors each year and plays a role in worldwide conservation and research, including...
and White River Gardens
White River Gardens
The White River Gardens are botanical gardens located adjacent to the Indianapolis Zoo at 1200 West Washington Street, Indianapolis, Indiana. The gardens are a part of the White River State Park....
, the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indian and Western Art, NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Headquarters and NCAA Hall of Champions
NCAA Hall of Champions
The NCAA Hall of Champions is a museum, exhibition center, and conference center that is located adjacent to the national office of the National Collegiate Athletic Association in White River State Park in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States...
, the Congressional Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
Memorial, Victory Field
Victory Field
Victory Field is the name of the current minor league baseball park that is the home of the Indianapolis Indians of the International League. It is located in Indianapolis, Indiana....
as home of the Indianapolis Indians
Indianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club. The Indians play at Victory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis...
Baseball, Military Park and an outdoor concert area called Lawn.
Night Life
The downtown's main nightlife is located on Meridian StreetMeridian Street (Indianapolis)
Meridian Street is the primary north-south street in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States.Meridian Street was formerly aligned with US 31 for much of its length in the city of Indianapolis, before being re-routed to a segment of Interstate 465. The street delineates east addresses from west...
and Massachusetts Avenue
Massachusetts Avenue, Indianapolis
Massachusetts Avenue, or simply "Mass Ave", is one of six designated cultural districts in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is located just a few blocks northeast of Monument Circle. Massachusetts Avenue was one of the four original diagonal streets of downtown Indianapolis in Alexander Ralston's plan of...
. The night clubs and bars are located on Meridian Street between the Monument Circle
Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument (Indianapolis)
The Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument is a tall neoclassical monument in the center of Indianapolis, Indiana that was designed by German architect Bruno Schmitz and completed in 1901....
and Lucas Oil Stadium
Lucas Oil Stadium
Lucas Oil Stadium is a multi-purpose sports stadium in Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The stadium celebrated its grand opening on August 24, 2008, and its ribbon-cutting ceremony August 16, 2008. It replaced the RCA Dome as the home field of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts. The stadium was built to...
. Massachusetts Avenue
Massachusetts Avenue, Indianapolis
Massachusetts Avenue, or simply "Mass Ave", is one of six designated cultural districts in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is located just a few blocks northeast of Monument Circle. Massachusetts Avenue was one of the four original diagonal streets of downtown Indianapolis in Alexander Ralston's plan of...
is a diverse location with multiple European bars and restaurants and is often considered as a hip
Hippie
The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
and cosmopolitan
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
neighborhood of the downtown. Some of the night clubs and bars near Meridian Street
Meridian Street (Indianapolis)
Meridian Street is the primary north-south street in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States.Meridian Street was formerly aligned with US 31 for much of its length in the city of Indianapolis, before being re-routed to a segment of Interstate 465. The street delineates east addresses from west...
include Bartinis, Cadillac Ranch, Sensu, Blu, Subterra Lounge, Ugly Monkey, Slippery Noodle Inn
Slippery Noodle Inn
The Slippery Noodle Inn is a large blues bar and restaurant with two performance stages in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. It also has the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating bar in the state of Indiana, having opened in 1850 as the Tremont House.The Inn served as a stop on the...
, Howl at the Moon
Howl at the Moon Piano Bar
Howl at the Moon is a franchise of dueling piano bars As of 2010, Howl at the Moon Dueling Piano Bars were located in or were being constructed in:***************The following cities were former sites of HATM:*Seattle, Washington...
, Tiki Bob's, Claddagh Irish Pub, Kilroy's Bar and Grill, Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe is a chain of theme restaurants founded in 1971 by Americans Peter Morton & Isaac Tigrett. In 1979, the cafe began covering its walls with rock and roll memorabilia, a tradition which expanded to others in the chain. In 2006, Hard Rock was sold to the Seminole Tribe of Florida, and...
, Jillian's
Jillian's
Jillian's is a restaurant and entertainment chain with locations in the United States. Jillian's locations as of December 2009 include the original location in Boston, MA as well as Albany, NY; Charlotte, NC; Columbia, SC; Cleveland Heights, OH; Indianapolis, IN; Manchester, NH; Norfolk, VA; San...
, Scotty's Brewhouse and a cigar lounge called Nicky Blaines. Mass Ave
Massachusetts Avenue, Indianapolis
Massachusetts Avenue, or simply "Mass Ave", is one of six designated cultural districts in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is located just a few blocks northeast of Monument Circle. Massachusetts Avenue was one of the four original diagonal streets of downtown Indianapolis in Alexander Ralston's plan of...
bars include Front Page Grill, Bazbeaux Pizza, Old Point Tavern, Bu Da Lounge, Chatterbox, Mesh on Mass, FortyFive Degrees, and Metro. Mass Ave
Massachusetts Avenue, Indianapolis
Massachusetts Avenue, or simply "Mass Ave", is one of six designated cultural districts in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is located just a few blocks northeast of Monument Circle. Massachusetts Avenue was one of the four original diagonal streets of downtown Indianapolis in Alexander Ralston's plan of...
also has various European bars that include MacNiven's (Scottish), Chatham Tap (English), and The Rathskeller (German). There are many other bars located around the Downtown area.
Cultural Trail
Scheduled to be complete by 2011, the Indianapolis Cultural Trail: is a world-class urban bike and pedestrian path that connects the city's five downtown Cultural Districts, neighborhoods and entertainment amenities, and serves as the downtown hub for the entire central Indiana greenway system. The trail will include benches, bike racks, lighting, signage and bike rentals/drop-offs along the way and will also feature local art work.
Stadiums
Downtown Indianapolis has three major stadiums. Lucas Oil StadiumLucas Oil Stadium
Lucas Oil Stadium is a multi-purpose sports stadium in Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The stadium celebrated its grand opening on August 24, 2008, and its ribbon-cutting ceremony August 16, 2008. It replaced the RCA Dome as the home field of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts. The stadium was built to...
is the home of the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
and also hosts concerts and other sporting events including college basketball. Lucas Oil is also the home of Super Bowl XLVI
Super Bowl XLVI
Super Bowl XLVI will be the 46th annual edition of the Super Bowl in American football, and the 42nd annual championship game of the modern-era National Football League . It will be held on February 5, 2012 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. This will be the first Super Bowl to be...
. Conseco Field House is the home of NBA's Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
and WNBA's Indiana Fever
Indiana Fever
The Indiana Fever is a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
and music concerts. Victory Field
Victory Field
Victory Field is the name of the current minor league baseball park that is the home of the Indianapolis Indians of the International League. It is located in Indianapolis, Indiana....
is the home of Indianapolis Indians
Indianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club. The Indians play at Victory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis...
.
NCAA Hall of Champions
The NCAA Hall of ChampionsNCAA Hall of Champions
The NCAA Hall of Champions is a museum, exhibition center, and conference center that is located adjacent to the national office of the National Collegiate Athletic Association in White River State Park in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States...
is a museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
, exhibition center, and conference center located adjacent to the national office of the National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA) in White River State Park
White River State Park
White River State ParkDesignationState ParkLocationIndianapolis, Indiana USANearest CityIndianapolis, IndianaArea Date of Establishment1979Governing Body...
. The building was designed by architect Michael Graves
Michael Graves
Michael Graves is an American architect. Identified as one of The New York Five, Graves has become a household name with his designs for domestic products sold at Target stores in the United States....
.
Monument Circle
At the center of Indianapolis is Monument Circle, a traffic circleTraffic circle
A traffic circle or rotary is a type of circular intersection in which traffic must travel in one direction around a central island. In some countries, traffic entering the circle has the right-of-way and drivers in the circle must yield. In many other countries, traffic entering the circle must...
at the intersection of Meridian and Market Streets, featuring the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument
Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument (Indianapolis)
The Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument is a tall neoclassical monument in the center of Indianapolis, Indiana that was designed by German architect Bruno Schmitz and completed in 1901....
. Monument Circle is depicted on the city’s flag. It is in the shadow of Indiana's tallest skyscraper
Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building of many stories, often designed for office and commercial use. There is no official definition or height above which a building may be classified as a skyscraper...
, the Chase Tower
Chase Tower (Indianapolis)
Opened in 1990 near Monument Circle in Indianapolis, the Chase Tower is the tallest building in Indianapolis. It surpassed the AUL Tower in Indianapolis for the distinction...
. Until the early 1960s, Indianapolis zoning laws stated that no building could be taller than the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. Each Christmas season, lights are strung onto the monument and lit in a ceremony known as the Circle of Lights, which attracts tens of thousands of Hoosiers to downtown Indianapolis on the day after Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
.
War Memorial Plaza
A five-block plaza at the intersection of Meridian and Vermont surrounds a large memorial dedicated to Hoosiers who have fought in American wars. It was originally constructed to honor the Indiana soldiers who died in World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, but construction was halted due to lack of funding during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, and it was not completed until 1951. The purpose of the memorial was later altered to encompass all American wars in which Hoosiers fought.
The monument is modeled after the Mausoleum of Maussollos
Mausoleum of Maussollos
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus or Tomb of Mausolus was a tomb built between 353 and 350 BC at Halicarnassus for Mausolus, a satrap in the Persian Empire, and Artemisia II of Caria, his wife and sister....
. At 210 feet (64 m) tall it is approximately seventy-five feet taller than the original Mausoleum. On the north end of the War Memorial Plaza is the national headquarters of the American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
and the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library's
Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library
The Indianapolis Public Library is the public library system that serves the citizens of Marion County, Indiana, United States and its largest city, Indianapolis...
Central Library.
Monuments
The city is second only to Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, for number of monuments inside city limits.
- The Soldiers' and Sailors' MonumentSoldiers' and Sailors' Monument (Indianapolis)The Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument is a tall neoclassical monument in the center of Indianapolis, Indiana that was designed by German architect Bruno Schmitz and completed in 1901....
, located at Monument Circle in the geographic center of the city. - Indiana World War Memorial PlazaIndiana World War Memorial PlazaThe Indiana World War Memorial Plaza is an urban feature located in Indianapolis, Indiana, originally built to honor the veterans of World War I. The five-city-block plaza was conceived in 1919 as a location for the national headquarters of the American Legion and a memorial to the state's and...
- Medal of Honor MemorialMedal of Honor MemorialThe Medal of Honor Memorial is a monument located in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. It is dedicated in honor of all recipients of the Medal of Honor, the United States military's highest award for valor...
- USS Indianapolis Memorial
- Landmark for Peace MemorialLandmark for Peace MemorialThe Landmark for Peace Memorial is a memorial sculpture at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park on the northside of Indianapolis that honors the contributions of the slain leaders Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy...
- Project 9/11 IndianapolisProject 9/11 IndianapolisProject 9/11 Indianapolis was begun early in 2010 as a grass roots effort to establish a permanent Memorial dedicated to those killed in the September 11 attacks. Greg Hess, a firefighter paramedic with the Indianapolis Fire Department, was the primary lead of the initiative...
Murat Centre
The Murat Shrine, now officially known as Old National Centre and originally known as the Murat Temple and Murat Centre, is an entertainment venue in Indianapolis, IndianaIndianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, owned by the Murat Shriners of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. It is the oldest stage house in downtown Indianapolis
Downtown Indianapolis
The term Downtown Indianapolis refers to the central business district of Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. The boundaries of downtown Indianapolis have varied over time as the city has grown. The city's original platted area, the Mile Square, is sometimes used to denote the downtown area...
that is still standing, the only Shrine temple in the world with a French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
-originating name, and the largest Shrine temple in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
Other Attractions
Other attractions in Downtown Indianapolis include:- Christ Church Cathedral, IndianapolisChrist Church Cathedral, IndianapolisChrist Church Cathedral is the cathedral church of the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis. Christ Church Cathedral is the oldest religious building in continuous use in Indianapolis.- History :...
- Scottish Rite CathedralScottish Rite Cathedral (Indianapolis, Indiana)The Scottish Rite Cathedral is a historic building designed by architect George F. Schreiber, located in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. It is owned by the Valley of Indianapolis Scottish Rite, an affiliated body of Freemasonry. It was built between 1927 and 1929 at the cost of...
- Military ParkMilitary Park (Indianapolis)Military Park is the oldest park in Indianapolis, Indiana, covering . In accordance with the Indiana Constitution, the land that forms Military Park cannot be sold; only Monument Circle and half of the Indiana State Capitol share this distinction...
Hotels
Downtown Indianapolis has plenty of hotels ranging from skyscrapers to small motels and always are in business for every major event Indianapolis hosts. Some of the hotels in the skyline include JW Marriott IndianapolisJW Marriott Indianapolis
JW Marriott Indianapolis is a hotel that is located in downtown Indianapolis, adjacent to the Indiana Convention Center. The new JW Marriott Indianapolis is part of the $450 million Marriott Place, consisting of five Marriott hotels all connected to the Indiana Convention Center...
, Hilton Indianapolis
Hilton Indianapolis
Hilton Indianapolis is a hotel in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was completed in 1971 and has 18 floors. The Hilton was formerly the tallest hotel in the city. The JW Marriott surpassed it when it was completed in 2011....
, Canterbury Hotel
Canterbury Hotel
The Canterbury Hotel is a historic hotel in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a part of the Wholesale District historic district....
, Conrad Indianapolis
Conrad Indianapolis
Conrad Indianapolis is a high-rise luxury hotel in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was completed in 2006 and has 23 floors. The building includes street level retail and 243 luxury hotel rooms with 18 residential condominiums. Conrad is the destination venue for Indianapolis. They are known for hosting...
, Hyatt Regency Indianapolis
Hyatt Regency Indianapolis
Hyatt Regency Indianapolis, also known as PNC Center, is a mixed use high-rise in Indianapolis, Indiana. The building rises 22 floors and in height, and is currently the 17th-tallest building in the city. The structure was completed in 1977, and was designed by architectural firm Browning Day...
, Fletcher Trust Building
Fletcher Trust Building
Fletcher Trust Building, officially known as the Hilton Garden Inn Indianapolis Downtown, is a hotel high-rise in Indianapolis, Indiana. The building rises 16 floors and in height, and is currently the 22nd-tallest building in the city. The structure was completed in 1916...
, Sheraton Indianapolis City Centre
Sheraton Indianapolis City Centre
Sheraton Indianapolis City Centre, formerly known as the Radisson Hotel City Centre and, is a high-rise hotel in Indianapolis, Indiana. The building was originally build as a Hilton hotel.-External links:**...
, Marriott Indianapolis
Marriott Indianapolis
Marriott Indianapolis is a high-rise hotel in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was completed in 2001 and has 19 floors. It was the largest hotel in Indiana, until surpassed by the JW Marriott Indianapolis in 2011. The Indianapolis Marriott Downtown features 622 guest rooms and of meeting/event space...
, Omni Severin Hotel
Omni Severin Hotel
The Hotel Severin originally opened in 1913 as the Grand Hotel of Indianapolis. The building now stands as one of the last remaining structures in the Indianapolis Union Station Wholesale District and it is contributing property to the historic district...
and the historic Columbia Club
Columbia Club
The Columbia Club is a private hotel and clubhouse located on Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. The current structure was built in 1925 as the third home to a private club of the same name.-Club history:...
.
Many other hotels are spread evenly across the downtown. Residence Inn is located along Indiana Central Canal
Indiana Central Canal
The Indiana Central Canal was a canal intended to connect the Wabash and Erie Canal to the Ohio River. It was funded by the Mammoth Internal Improvement Act, Indiana's attempt to take part in the canal-building craze, started by the Erie Canal. $3.5 million was allocated for the project, the...
in downtown with an overlook balcony and patio towards the canal.
Hospitals
Several major hospitals are located in downtown Indianapolis, namely Wishard Memorial HospitalWishard Memorial Hospital
The William N. Wishard Memorial Hospital, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, is one of Indianapolis' oldest hospitals. The hospital was founded in 1855 in response to a smallpox epidemic in the city. During the Civil War, Wishard was used by the Union Army to treat soldiers...
, Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center
Veterans Health Administration
The Veterans Health Administration is the component of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs led by the Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health that implements the medical assistance program of the VA through the administration and operation of numerous VA outpatient clinics,...
, Indiana University Hospital
Indiana University Hospital
Indiana University Hospital is a teaching hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, affiliated with the Indiana University School of Medicine and Indiana University Health....
, James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children
James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children
Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health is a nationally ranked children's hospital located on the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis campus in Indianapolis, Indiana....
, and Methodist Hospital
Methodist Hospital of Indianapolis
Methodist Hospital of Indianapolis is a hospital part of Indiana University Health, located in Indianapolis, state of Indiana, United States. It is the largest hospital in the state of Indiana and one of only two regional Level I Trauma Centers in the state...
. University, Riley, and Methodist hospitals are owned by Indiana University Health, which operates them as a single hospital and has constructed a people mover to connect them.