About Indianapolis City Market Catacombs
The Indianapolis catacombs contain no tombs, bones, or ancient burials. Their name belongs to roughly 20,000 square feet of shadowy brick arches beneath the west plaza of Indianapolis City Market. The vaulted underground space is the surviving foundation of Tomlinson Hall, a public auditorium that opened in 1886 and was lost after a 1958 fire.
Tomlinson Hall once towered beside the market and seated thousands. Below it, workers used the cool passages for storage and moved goods beneath the busy market square. Ice-storage pits and limestone columns remain among rows of barrel-vaulted arches, creating a surprisingly monumental ruin under a familiar downtown block.
The catacombs can be entered only on scheduled tours offered by Indiana Landmarks. Visitors should expect stairs, uneven dirt surfaces, low light, and a setting that is not wheelchair accessible. Closed-toe shoes are strongly recommended. Tour dates are limited, so reservations should be made through the current Indiana Landmarks schedule rather than relying on old City Market event listings.