Monumental Climb

Looking up at the south side of the Monument from it's base. It has been decorated
for the Christmas season with strands of lights. At night the lights resemble
a Christmas tree, with the statue of Victory serving as its "topper."

On Thursday, I went back to the Indianapolis Soldiers' 

and Sailors' Monument because I wanted to see 

downtown from the monument's viewing platform. 

A visitor has a choice whether they want to climb the 

narrow stairs to the top, 285 feet away, or ride the tiny elevator. 

I considered climbing the stairs, but the steps are unfriendly, 

with risers that are too steep for middle-aged knees.

Once inside, I actually found the interior of the Monument 

more interesting than the views. The stairs are narrow, barely wide 

enough for one person to use at a time; just before I left, 

I heard another woman get out of the elevator and waited for her 

at the top, as the stairwell was not wide enough for both of us.
I really liked the textured surface, hammered into 
the stone so long ago when the structure was built.

The elevator does not go all the way to the top,
requiring the visitor walk up another three stories,
using the narrow, steep staircase. When I emerged from the 
stairwell onto the platform, the first thing I noticed was
the red-painted orb which seems to serve as the central
point for a reinforcement system for the Monument.  

Pairs of steel bars have been installed in the walls, 
with two pair on each of the walls, extending the entire 
length of the structure. Unfortunately, there was no one available 
to explain the bars' exact function. I assume that they are meant
to control any shift or skew in the monument, say, due to
high winds or earthquakes.  

Shown below is one of the views from the platform, looking west
along Market Street towards the State Capitol Building.
The building center foreground is the Test Building, one of the first 
structures built for combined use as office space and 
automobile parking; the large blue rectangle is the 
J. W. Marriott Hotel; the blue speck just to the left of the 
Capitol dome is the Indianapolis Zoo, while the two parallel
beige lines are the old Washington Street Bridge, now part
of the River Promenade.

Looking west from the Monument, along Market Street
towards the State Capitol Building.

Revisiting the pigeon hat, um, hat. 
The street fowl warming itself on the statue
seems relaxed, oblivious to the fact that a pair of 
peregrine falcons use Victory as a perch,
from which they scope out unsuspecting pigeons
to become their next tasty treat.