Mount Soledad cross controversy, Concrete cross in La Jolla, San Diego, US

The Mount Soledad cross is a concrete monument in La Jolla, San Diego, standing about 43 feet (13 meters) tall with a crossbar of about 12 feet (3.6 meters). It sits on top of a hill within a residential area and is surrounded by granite plaques bearing the names of military veterans.

A wooden cross first stood on this site in 1913 and was replaced by sturdier versions over the years. The current concrete structure was built in 1954 to a design by Donald Campbell and later became the subject of legal challenges that lasted until the land was transferred to private ownership in 2015.

The site was long known as the Mount Soledad Easter Cross, and Easter sunrise services were held there annually for about 40 years after 1954. The word "Easter" was dropped from the name in the 1980s. The memorial association later added six walls of granite plaques honoring veterans and military units.

The memorial occupies the apex of Mount Soledad inside Mount Soledad Natural Park, reached by road up the hill from La Jolla; the cross stands on a 14-foot stepped platform, with the six granite plaque walls arranged around it. The exposed hilltop is windy, and the site has no placard marking it as a veterans' memorial at the park entrance.

Although the cross itself drove the public debate, the veteran plaques around the base were commissioned by families and fellow soldiers, each including a photo and personal details alongside the name. This means visitors often find themselves reading not just a list of names but short personal stories.