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Indiana State Capitol - courtesy jglazer75 - CC-BY

Indianapolis is the capital and largest city in Indiana.  It is the third largest city in the Midwest, after Chicago, Illinois, and Detroit, Michigan, and the second most populous state capital after Phoenix, Arizona.  Indianapolis was chosen as the site of the new state capital in 1820 and is the only state capital in the exact center of its state.  The name Indianapolis is simply Indiana joined with polis, the Greek word for city.

Indianapolis is often called, “Racing Capital of the World,” due to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the Indy 500 and Allstate 400 at the Brickyard.  The Indy 500 is the world’s biggest single-day sporting event. However, the city is about more than just speed. It is also a university town with Indiana State University, Purdue University and University of Indianapolis, and is an important commercial center.

The city has many museums and galleries including Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, one of the largest museums of its kind in the whole world, with numerous hands-on displays and the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, housing a vast collection of Native American and Western works of art. There is also a lot of space for outdoor activities within city limits inside downtown parks and the on the trails that wind throughout.

Indianapolis has areas that feature both unique and typical shopping, from Broad Ripple Village and Fountain Square, two unique shopping areas featuring antiques, arts, and shops just fun to explore, to typical suburban shopping malls anchored by the department store chains.  While Indianapolis does have a few good restaurants, the city is not particularly known as a dining destination.

Summers are hot and humid, with high temperatures regularly approaching 90 F (32 C).  Winters are cold, with daily highs barely climbing above freezing. Temperatures can dip below 0 °F (−18 °C).

Indianapolis is served by Indianapolis International Airport.  Public transportation is bus and taxi.

Indianapolis is a safe city.  Normal precautions apply.

Indianapolis population is 798,382 (2008).  Metro area is 1,715,459.

1 is the international calling code for the United States.

317 is the area code for Indianapolis.

For more information about Indianapolis.