Ulysses S. Grant Memorial

The Ulysses S. Grant Memorial is a large monument on the west front of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., commemorating the Civil War general and 18th U.S. president. The composition centers on an equestrian statue with substantial sculptural groups on either side.

The memorial consists of the mounted statue of Grant on a raised plaza with two flanking sculptural groups that depict cavalry and artillery units, creating a symmetrical arrangement that frames the Capitol’s west approach. The scale and placement make it one of the major outdoor sculptures on the Capitol grounds.

Created in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the memorial was installed to honor Grant’s military and national leadership and has served as a ceremonial landmark on the Capitol grounds since its completion. It has been part of official commemorations and is publicly accessible along the Mall.

The memorial stands directly at the base of the Capitol’s western steps, overlooking the Capitol Reflecting Pool and the National Mall to the west, and is reached on foot from the Mall or from paths on the Capitol grounds.

• Location on Capitol grounds: The memorial sits at the west front of the United States Capitol and faces the National Mall, forming a formal foreground to the building's western approach.

What to See #

• Central equestrian statue: A central bronze equestrian statue of Ulysses S. Grant forms the memorial's focal point and is set on a raised plaza in front of the Capitol's west facade.
• Flanking cavalry and artillery groups: Two large sculptural groups flank the central statue, representing cavalry and artillery units, arranged symmetrically on either side of the plaza.