Bunker Hill Monument, Boston

The monument rising before you commemorates the Battle of Bunker Hill, fought on June 17, 1775, during the Siege of Boston at the very beginning of the American Revolutionary War. Standing 221 feet tall, this granite obelisk took sixteen years to complete, between 1827 and 1843. The stone came from nearby Quincy, Massachusetts, hauled here by the country’s first commercial railroad — the Granite Railway — before finishing the trip by barge. Indeed, moving thousands of tons of granite in the early 19th century was not exactly a casual weekend project...

As for the battle itself, it began when British forces tried to strengthen their hold over Boston by occupying the hills overlooking the harbor. Colonial troops responded with a nighttime mission, slipping onto Bunker and Breed’s hills to build defensive positions before sunrise. When the British spotted what had happened, they launched repeated uphill assaults. The fighting turned brutal and costly. The Americans ran out of ammunition rather than courage, and although the British eventually captured the position, they paid dearly for it. More importantly, it proved that inexperienced colonial militia could stand toe-to-toe with the professional British army — a revelation that changed the mood of the Revolution.

Curiously, the monument does not actually stand on Bunker Hill. It rises on Breed’s Hill, where most of the combat took place. The organization behind the monument had to sell off much of the surrounding battlefield land just to afford construction, keeping only the summit for the memorial itself.

If you feel ambitious, you can climb the 294 steps to the top. There is no elevator, no shortcut, and no gentle negotiation with gravity. The reward is a panoramic view stretching across Boston Harbor, nearby neighborhoods, and toward the distant spire of Saint Francis de Sales Church, marking the true location of Bunker Hill. Back at ground level, the grassy park surrounding the monument makes a pleasant place to rest, picnic, or simply recover from your relationship with those stairs.

It's helpful to note that climbing access requires a free timed pass from the nearby Bunker Hill Museum. Passes are limited and can be reserved up to two weeks in advance or picked up on a first-come, first-served basis. The museum itself is worth visiting, too, offering exhibits that unpack both the battle and the broader story of revolutionary Boston.