The downtown area of Indianapolis, Mile Square is full of memorials, theaters and religious institutions. The municipality’s cultural and political hub covers the core of the city and is also home to an array of commercial blocks and business towers. Visit Mile Square and walk through the center of the district to get a sense of the profound history of Indianapolis.

Rising from the center of the square is the iconic Soldiers and Sailors Monument, honoring service members from the Revolutionary War to the Spanish-American War. Ride the elevator to the observation deck for excellent views. The obelisk-like monument stands in the heart of Monument Circle, which is surrounded by stores and cafés. Visit the Colonel Eli Lilly Civil War Museum in the basement and remembrance of other wars in the nearby Indiana War Memorial.

Inspect other memorials, including the Congressional Medal of Honor Memorial on the western edge of the district. The structure features glass panels that light up at night to the sound of stories of war heroes.

Browse the books on the shelves of the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library, dedicated to the local literary titan. See the writer’s drawings and photos as well as rejection letters from publishers. Write on Vonnegut’s own typewriter.

Visit various religious attractions, such as the 19th-century Christ Church Cathedral and St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, which stands out for its twin spires.

As evening falls, enjoy drinks at one of the bars and clubs surrounding Monument Circle and the Lucas Oil Stadium.

The district forms a square covering 1 square mile (2.6 square kilometers) in the center Indianapolis. It lies directly between the districts of Upper Canal and Fletcher Place. Arrive at the Indianapolis railway station at the southern end of the zone and get around the area on foot. You can also ride a bus straight here from the Indianapolis International Airport to arrive in less than an hour.

Mile Square is the lively and soulful epicenter of Indianapolis.