Battle Monument

The Battle Monument in Baltimore commemorates the Battle of Baltimore in September 1814 during the War of 1812. It stands in Battle Monument Square on North Calvert Street, directly between the city's two courthouses. Built between 1815 and 1825, it is considered the oldest stone monument and the first public war memorial in the United States. The initiative came from the city and a committee led by Mayor Edward Johnson, along with several military commanders.

Architecturally, the monument stands out for its Egyptian Revival design in the form of a columbarium. The marble base consists of eighteen layers, symbolizing the states of the Union at the time, and is flanked at the corners by griffin figures. The column is carved as a Roman fasces and bears the names of the fallen. Especially remarkable is its democratic approach, which memorializes all of the battle's dead regardless of military rank. The structure was originally crowned by an eight-foot Carrara marble sculpture representing the city of Baltimore, known as Lady Baltimore. In 2013, the statue was moved to the Maryland Historical Society for better preservation and replaced with a concrete replica.

Today the monument is a central historic landmark of the city. It appears on the Seal of Baltimore as well as on the city flag, and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. You can visit the monument in the heart of the Business and Government Historic District and trace the close connection to the city's history and the defensive battles of 1814.