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Soldiers' and Sailors' Arch facts for kids

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Soldiers' and Sailors' Arch
Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument
Soldiers' and Sailors' Arch.jpg
The triumphal arch at the south end of the traffic oval (foreground). To the left and right of the memorial are additional streets (not shown).
Type American Civil War memorial
Location Grand Army Plaza
Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
Elevation 135 feet (41 m)
Height 80 feet (24 m)
Dedicated October 21, 1892 (1892-10-21)
Built 1889 (1889)–1892 (1892)
Built for "To the Defenders of the Union, 1861–1865"
Rebuilt 1898 (statues added)
Restored 1976
Architect John H. Duncan
Sculptor Frederick MacMonnies and Philip Martiny
Owner City of New York
Designated October 16, 1973 (1973-10-16)
Reference no. LP-0821
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The Soldiers' and Sailors' Arch is a large, special arch in Brooklyn, New York City. It stands in Grand Army Plaza, right next to Prospect Park. This arch was built between 1889 and 1892. It honors the "Defenders of the Union" from the American Civil War, which happened from 1861 to 1865. The Union Army was the army of the northern states.

For a while, you could go inside the arch and climb stairs to an observation deck at the very top. This deck offered great views. However, it closed in the early 2000s because parts of the inside became unsafe.

History of the Arch

Grand Army Plaza 1894
Arch in 1894 without sculptures.
'Lincoln and Grant', bronze sculptures by William Rudolf O'Donovan (men) & Thomas Eakins (horses), 1893-1894, Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn, New York City
Sculptures of Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant.
The Brooklyn Quadriga
The crowning sculpture on top of the arch.

In 1889, a special group called the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument Commission chose a design for the arch. The winning design came from an architect named John H. Duncan.

Other famous people helped with the project. Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, who designed many parks, worked with architect Stanford White. They prepared the site for the arch.

The cornerstone, which is the first stone laid, was put in place in 1889. William Tecumseh Sherman, a famous general from the Civil War, spoke at this event. In 1892, President Grover Cleveland was there for the official unveiling of the arch.

Adding the Sculptures

The arch was first built without its famous bronze statues. These statues were added a few years later. In 1894, Frederick MacMonnies was hired to design three groups of bronze sculptures.

In 1895, more sculptures were added. On the inside of the arch, you can see sculptures of Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant. Lincoln and Grant were important leaders during the Civil War. These sculptures are called bas-reliefs, which means they stick out slightly from the flat wall. William Rudolf O'Donovan sculpted the men, and Thomas Eakins sculpted the horses.

Also in 1895, Frederick MacMonnies added the "Army" and "Navy" sculptures. He also created the large sculpture on top of the arch. This crowning sculpture shows a winged goddess of victory. She is celebrating the Union Army's victory in the Civil War. She is shown with war items like a sword and flags. There is also a quadriga, which is a chariot pulled by four horses. The sculpture shows two of the horses being removed for peacetime use. This represents the country's recovery after the war. The goddess and her helpers are also trumpeting victory and freedom, which includes the end of slavery.

Recent History

The arch became a special landmark in New York City in 1973. In 1976, the crowning sculpture was repaired after a part of it fell off.

As mentioned, the observation deck at the top of the arch was closed in the 2000s because it was not safe. But good news! In 2018, plans were announced to fix up the arch. This means the observation deck will be restored and reopened for people to visit again in the future.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Arco de los Soldados y Marineros para niños

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