Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Pictures and Panoramas
Indianapolis is has earned an international reputation as the home of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Nicknamed the Brickyard, the Speedway plays host to the one of the greatest events in professional motorcar racing. Every Memorial Day weekend hundreds of thousands of racing fans crowd the Speedway for the prestigious Indianapolis 500. The race is a grueling 500 mile, high speed dash that tests the mettle of both man and machine. In addition to the thousands of fans who witness this racing spectacular in person, millions more watch the race on televisions around the world.
Though the Indianapolis skyline is impressive, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is popular subject for both professional and amateur photographers. Striking pictures and panoramas of the Speedway are very popular among race fans all over the world. Airborne pictures of the Speedway reveal a sprawling complex that includes the track, an infield golf course and seating for over 250,000 race fans.
Not all of the buildings that comprise the Indianapolis Skyline are of the modern skyscraper variety. Some of the more interesting and historic skyline structures measure less than 300 feet tall but are no less important to the long and storied of the city.
The Indiana Statehouse
The oldest and most revered building along the Indianapolis skyline is the Indiana Statehouse. Under Indiana’s unified form of government, the Indiana Statehouse is home to the Indiana State legislature, the Indiana governor and the Indiana Supreme Court. Located in the heart of the city the Statehouse was constructed in 1888 on a scenic campus at the intersection of West Washington Street and North Capital Avenue. With the Statehouse dome standing 255 feet tall, the building is hardly the tallest in the city but is considered a masterpiece of Nineteenth Century classic architecture.
The Soldier’s and Sailor’s Monument
The Soldier’s and Sailor’ Monument, while not a building in the classic sense, reigned as the tallest structure in Indianapolis from its construction in 1902 until 1962. Constructed from bronze and Indiana limestone and rising like a spire 284 feet, the monument features a stairway leading to a small observation deck. The monument is meant to honor the service of those who fought in the American Revolutionary War, the Spanish American War, the Mexican American War and the U.S. Civil War.
The City–County Building
Overtaking the Soldier’s and Sailor’s Monument as the tallest structure in Indianapolis is the monolithic City-County Building. Completed in 1962, the 28 story building rises 372 feet above East Washington Street in the downtown district. This prominent feature of the downtown Indianapolis skyline reigned as the tallest building in the city until 1970.
The Modern Indianapolis Skyline
The Chase Tower
The 1980s and 1990s saw a boom in the construction of building that added to the depth and beauty of the Indianapolis skyline. 1990 saw the completion of the Chase Tower, the tallest building in the city, adding over 900 hundred thousand square feet of office space to the downtown area. The impressive 700 foot roof height is enhanced by twin spires that raise the total height of the building to 830 feet. Almost 10 years in the planning stages, the 48 story Chase Tower is by far the most prominent feature seen in picture and panoramas of the Indianapolis skyline.
