Minnesota Medal of Honor Memorial

Educate and Inspire Future Generations While Honoring Those Who Served

Located at the main entrance to the Capitol Mall, on direct axis with the State Capitol, the memorial incorporates the previously existing Promise of Youth sculpture, providing a means of reflection and contemplation. Its central location anchors the other veteran’s memorials and tributes on Capitol Mall while offering powerful views to the Capitol. The memorial utilizes this layout as its main form driver and creates direct spatial and spiritual ties to the adjacent World War II Memorial and the Court of Honor to the north, through its forms and the undulation of the ground surface. This composition creates new paths through the site that work to further reinforce existing site circulation.

The memorial is comprised of three main elements:

• Garden of Contemplation
• Court of Reflection
• Water Feature supporting the Promise of Youth sculpture

At the south end of the memorial is the Garden of Contemplation. This forecourt serves as a place for individuals or groups to gather, learn, and contemplate the decisions that our Medal of Honor recipients made to ensure our freedom. A bosque of eight columnar maple trees stand soldier-like in a crushed stabilized granite surface welcoming visitors to this honorable place.

From the Garden, visitors proceed north into the Court of Reflection. To the west, the thirteen golden bronze stars found on the Medal of Honor ribbon signify the original colonies; to the east the name of the memorial is expressed by carved letters.  This threshold is the physical embodiment of the moment of choice with which each Medal of Honor recipient is faced and chooses to take heroic action. Vertical granite walls display the memorials shared values: Courage, Sacrifice, Patriotism, Citizenship, Integrity, and Commitment

The Court is further shaped by two walks that continue and form a connection to local site circulation and the adjacent World War II Memorial, the Court of Honor to the north and the magnificent Capitol beyond. The Court of Reflection provides an approach to and an opportunity to engage with the revitalized Promise of Youth sculpture.

Held within the Value Walls is the sculpture and its water feature, a raised pentagon shaped base of polished Mesabi Black granite. A thin reflecting pool of cascading water or reflective surface, depending on the season, enhances the renewed experience of the sculpture.

Together these three elements honor the sacrifices of our state’s Medal of Honor Recipients while educating future leaders on their shared Values. The Minnesota Medal of Honor Memorial is the first memorial on the Minnesota Capitol Mall to recognize the valor of the individual veteran exemplified by the Minnesota Medal of Honor recipients. The memorials creation realizes the state capitol architect, Cass Gilbert’s vision for a prominent memorial at the main entrance to the Capitol Mall.

“Thank you to HGA, and to the leadership from Ted Lee,” said Tiffany Kovaleski, co-chair of the Minnesota Medal of Honor Memorial. She continued, “Your level of integrity for this project is shown in your design.”

HGA’s experience in contemplative spaces  is reflected throughout Minnesota, including the Minnesota Military Family Tribute, Lakewood Cemetery Garden Mausoleum and the Minnesota Military and Veterans Museum.