Pennsylvania Memorial

Stop on Gettysburg Battlefield Historic Tour, a free self-guided tour.

This impressive monument, dedicated in 1910, is the largest memorial on the battlefield. The 110-foot-tall granite structure honors the approximately 35,000 Pennsylvanians who fought at Gettysburg, more than from any other state. The memorial's design features a domed top reached by a spiral staircase, with an observation deck offering panoramic battlefield views. Bronze plaques list the names of every Pennsylvania soldier who fought here. The monument's four wings are adorned with statues representing different branches of service. Standing atop Cemetery Ridge between the Angle and Little Round Top, the memorial occupies ground that was the center of the Union defensive line. Its placement emphasizes Pennsylvania's role in defending its own soil from invasion. The monument demonstrates the importance Pennsylvanians placed on commemorating the battle, contributing substantial state funds for its construction. From the observation deck, you can see virtually the entire battlefield spread before you - Seminary Ridge to the west, Little Round Top to the south, Culp's Hill to the east, and the town to the north. This bird's-eye perspective helps synthesize the tactical situation and understand how the Union's interior lines allowed rapid troop movements to threatened points. The memorial has become one of Gettysburg's most recognizable landmarks.