We're talking unique art installations, catacomb ruins, the Underground Railroad, and so much more - these are a few of our favorite Fotospots around Indy.
LessThe catacombs were once the Tomlinson Hall which burned in 1958 and was torn down afterwards. To see the limestone pillars that support the underground labyrinth you must purchase tickets in advance. Tours are offered on 1st and 3rd Saturdays, May through October.
A sculpture designed and built by John McNaughton, Twisted House is a lopsided house bent curvingly on its side with the pointed roof turned into the ground. The charming but disturbing cedar structure brings up feelings of ambivalence - it's hard to determine exactly how you're supposed to feel in its presence. The message that the artist was conveying is open to interpretation or perhaps he was just feeling fanciful.
These statues are the remnants of a destroyed New York skyscraper. The land they were transferred to was once overgrown with weeds making it look like a weird, haunted cemetery. Since then, the weeds have been pulled, the land cleaned up, gardens planted, and the statues cleaned up - giving the place an "ancient lost city" ambience.
Formerly the Central Indiana Hospital for the Insane, this historic building is now a museum dedicated to the beginnings of psychiatric medical research. It houses over 15,000 relics and artifacts including real human skeletons, human brains, and a garden with growing medicinal herbs.
Originally founded in 1850 as the Tremont House, The Slippery Noodle Inn is Indiana's oldest continually operated bar in the original building (try saying that 3 times fast). As one might expect, The Noodle has a colorful past. During the Civil War years it was a way station for the Underground Railroad and years later the Inn was transformed into a bordello. The Noodle has also seen its share of celebrities including Jimmy Fallon, Will Forte, Harrison Ford, and Dan Aykroyd - to name a few.
The canal was originally built to connect the Wabash and Erie Canals to the Ohio River but insufficient financing forced a halt to the construction. Although it was supposed to span almost 300 miles, only 8 miles were completed. It wasn't restored until the late 1900s when it was finally put to good use as a promenade in downtown Indianapolis.
Do you love checking out large art installations while strolling through nature? If so, the Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park is for you. Unlike most sculpture gardens you're allowed to climb on most of these sculptures. Huzzah! With over 100 acres of trails, a large lake, and ever-changing art, the Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park will keep you coming back for more. Open sunrise to sunset.
Located in the Crown Hill Funeral Home and Cemetery lies the remains of one of the most famous bank robbers in U.S. history, John Dillinger. Dillinger was gunned down in 1934 by G-men outside Chicago's Biograph Theater and put to rest in the Indianapolis cemetery. Fearing souvenir hunters would try to dig up the body, Dillinger's father and brother had him exhumed and reburied under layers of concrete and iron. Nobody will steal this robber!
According to their website, Healer is alternative art and music experience. So, what does that mean? Your guess is as good as ours, but we can tell you it has a retro video game arcade and Mad Max-style art park. It's also home to music and art shows and is covered in gallons of neon paint. If you're looking for an out-of-this-world experience, this place is for you.
The center of Indiana's governing body, the Indiana Statehouse was completed in 1888. It was designed in a classical Renaissance style made of the limestone that Indiana is so famous for. Inside is housed a collection of artwork, over 30 pieces spanning 130 years depicting the history and important people of Indiana.