Indianapolis

About Indianapolis

Indianapolis is the capital and largest city of Indiana, built on flat land beside the White River near the center of the state. It was chosen as the capital in 1820 and laid out in 1821 by Alexander Ralston, who had helped plan Washington, D.C., with a grid of streets and diagonal avenues radiating from a central circle. That circle is now Monument Circle, crowned by the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, and the city's tradition of monuments and memorials is second only to Washington's.

Today Indianapolis has nearly 900,000 residents and is known around the world as the Racing Capital of the World. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, opened in 1909, hosts the Indianapolis 500 every Memorial Day weekend, the largest single-day sporting event on the planet. The city has also built a reputation as an amateur and professional sports hub, home to the NCAA headquarters, the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium and the Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and it regularly hosts the Final Four and major championships.

Visitors find a compact, walkable downtown and plenty for families. The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is the largest children's museum in the world, the Eiteljorg Museum shows Native American and Western art, and White River State Park gathers the Indianapolis Zoo, museums and a canal walk in one green space. The Indianapolis Cultural Trail links downtown neighborhoods for walkers and cyclists, Mass Ave is full of restaurants, theaters and shops, and Newfields combines the Indianapolis Museum of Art with gardens and the Lilly House estate.