The Soldiers and Sailors Arch

The Soldiers and Sailors Arch of Brooklyn, New York was created in dedication of the victory of the Civil War by the Defenders of the Union. The arch is located within Grand Army Plaza, just outside of Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. Commissioned in 1889, the arch was originally designed and constructed without statues. The original design was inspired Paris’ Arc de Triomphe, and was modeled in the Beaux-Arts style. The design consisted of a grand arch with bas reliefs within the arches interior. The statues were added in 1895 with the intent to further enhance the arches grandeur. The crowning central statue is a depiction of the Goddess Columbia, riding her chariot into battle. At the right and left sides of the Goddess Columbia are two figures that represent Victory. Additional ornaments that were included with the statues were bas reliefs of Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S Grant and some equestrian motifs. I’ve always admired and appreciated this structure, for there are very few grand arches within New York City. Modern design has progressed so far, and as buildings get taller and more sleek, monuments such as the Soldiers and Sailors Arch slowly fall into the shadows of modern day monoliths of today’s architecture.