The Memorial Committee of the Grand Army of the Republic was responsible for the construction and design of this memorial, which was paid for by the State of New York at a cost of about $250,000. It was dedicated on May 30, 1902. It was known as the 'Temple of Fame.' The colonnaded cylindrical form is based on the ancient Choragic Monument of Lysicrates, in Athens, Greece. The Greek original, seen here, dates from the 4th century BC. Oddly, the original monument was built to commemorate the victory of the leader of a chorus in competitive choral dance contests. The architects, Charles and Arthur Stoughton and French sculptor/designer/architect Paul E.M. Duboy (who designed the Ansonia Hotel), were selected through a design competition. The builders were Cullen and Dwyer.
|