Tripoli Monument, Annapolis

Tripoli Monument, Annapolis

The Tripoli Monument, also known as the U. S. Naval Monument, the Naval Monument, and the Peace Monument, is the oldest military monument in the United States. It honors heroes of the United States Navy from the First Barbary War (1801–1805): Master Commandant Richard Somers, Lieutenant James Caldwell, James Decatur (brother of Capt. Stephen Decatur), Henry Wadsworth, Joseph Israel, and John Sword Dorsey.

The monument is made of Carrara marble with a sandstone base, and measures 360 by 192 by 192 inches (9.1 m × 4.9 m × 4.9 m). Designed by Giovanni Charles Micali, it was carved in Livorno, Italy in 1806 and brought to the United States on board the famous 1797 frigate USS Constitution ("Old Ironsides"). From its original installation in the Washington Navy Yard at the new national capital of Washington, D.C. in 1808, it was later moved to the west front terrace of the United States Capitol facing the National Mall in 1831, and finally to the United States Naval Academy campus in Annapolis, Maryland in 1860.

The white marble sculpture consists of a 30-foot high column topped by an eagle and mounted on an elaborate base adorned with allegorical figures representing Glory, Fame, History, and Commerce. History, on the northwest corner, is represented by a seated female figure holding a book in her proper left hand and a pen made of bronze gilt in her proper right hand. She looks up and begins to record the event that she sees. Commerce, on the northeast corner, is represented by a male figure pointing to the column with his proper right hand and holding a caduceus in his proper left hand. Winged Victory stands beside the column, her proper right hand holding a laurel wreath over a sarcophagus and her proper left hand holding a bronze gilt palm branch. The column is adorned with two rows of antique "beaks of galleys" and two rows of antique anchors carved in relief. The sculpture rests on a square base constructed with blocks of stone and adorned with an urn on each corner.
Sight description based on Wikipedia.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Annapolis. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The GPSmyCity App

Tripoli Monument on Map

Sight Name: Tripoli Monument
Sight Location: Annapolis, USA (See walking tours in Annapolis)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Annapolis, Maryland

Create Your Own Walk in Annapolis

Create Your Own Walk in Annapolis

Creating your own self-guided walk in Annapolis is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Annapolis Introduction Walking Tour

Annapolis Introduction Walking Tour

Nestled along the banks of the Severn River flowing into the Chesapeake Bay on the East Coast of the United States is the capital of the US state of Maryland, Annapolis. Dubbed “America’s Sailing Capital”, Annapolis thrives on its nautical roots and colonial history, boasting more 18th-century buildings still in use than any other city in the country.

Annapolis traces its origins back to...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.2 Km or 1.4 Miles
Annapolis Historical Houses Tour

Annapolis Historical Houses Tour

One of the first planned cities in colonial America, first the capital of the Colony and then of the State of Maryland, Annapolis is rich in history, predating the Revolutionary War by decades. Although many structures from its early days are either gone, destroyed by neglect, or completely renovated, several magnificent 18th-century homes are still in place and retain their original beauty.

...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Naval Academy Campus Walking Tour

Naval Academy Campus Walking Tour

Established in 1845 under George Bancroft, the US Naval Academy in Annapolis is the city's most prominent complex. Situated right at the confluence of Severn River and Chesapeake Bay, this prestigious institution, where future naval officers receive their education and training, has on its campus some truly magnificent structures.

At the heart of it stands Bancroft Hall, the largest...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles
Best Pubs and Taverns in Annapolis

Best Pubs and Taverns in Annapolis

America’s Sailing Capital, Annapolis, has no shortage of exciting places where locals and visitors alike can enjoy great beer and seafood till late at night. For extra fun, on top of regular treats, the majority of local pubs, saloons, and bars host live music shows on a regular basis, as well as different contests.

Galway Bay Irish Pub, nestled in the heart of downtown, offers an authentic...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.2 Km or 0.7 Miles