A 221-foot granite obelisk on Breed's Hill marking the first major battle of the American Revolution, fought here on 17 June 1775. The colonial militia held off two British assaults before running out of powder and falling back; the British took the hill but lost more than a thousand men in the attempt. It was the costliest victory of the war for them, and it convinced the colonies that they could fight.
The obelisk, completed in 1843, was the tallest monument in the United States at the time. There is no lift — 294 stone steps climb to the small viewing chamber at the top, with windows looking out over Boston Harbor, the North End, and the river. Even fit visitors find their legs trembling at the summit.
The free Bunker Hill Museum opposite the monument lays out the battle with maps, weapons, and a 360-degree mural. It is the last stop on the Freedom Trail, a long walk from the Common but worth seeing in combination with the USS Constitution nearby.