Bunker Hill Monument, Granite obelisk monument in Charlestown, United States.
Bunker Hill Monument is a 67-meter granite tower in Charlestown, Boston, commemorating the 1775 battle fought nearby. The exterior consists of massive rectangular stones that taper toward the top, ending in a sharp pyramidal cap typical of classical Egyptian obelisks.
Marquis de Lafayette laid the cornerstone in 1825, exactly fifty years after the June 17, 1775 battle. Construction dragged on until 1843, partly from lack of funds and partly from the challenge of hauling so many heavy stone blocks to the site.
The hill's name often confuses visitors, since the battle actually took place on neighboring Breed's Hill. Yet Bunker Hill stuck as the name, and today the obelisk serves as a meeting point for locals who jog past or gather during Independence Day ceremonies.
Reaching the observation chamber requires climbing 294 steps through a narrow spiral staircase inside. Anyone with trouble on stairs or feeling uneasy in tight spaces should consider this before starting the ascent, since there is no elevator and the stairwell is slim.
The stones came from Quincy, Massachusetts, and traveled to the construction site on the first commercial railway in North America. This line was built specifically to move the heavy granite blocks and marked the beginning of a new era in construction logistics.
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