One of the oldest tourist attractions in Washington DC is the Washington Monument. Located on National Mall adjacent to Lincoln Memorial, this monument is tribute to one of the greatest legends of America, George Washington. George Washington was the first president of United States and one of the main founding fathers of country. He is described as a great and honorable man in history and therefore it only made sense to honor him in some way after his death and that’s why Washington Monument was constructed in heart of the capital.
On Washington’s 100th birthday people started fundraising and collecting donations to build a monument to honor him. Competitions were organized to choose the best design for the monument. The design chosen resembled the Egyptian obelisk. There were several delays in the construction and that’s why same stone could not be used.
The stone changes its color from the bottom third of the monument. The materials used were sandstone, marble and granite and the tip was made from cast aluminum which at that time was even more expensive than silver. The construction of the monument for the first president was completed by Army Corp of Engineers in 1884. The monument is over 555’ in height which makes it the tallest obelisk in the world.
RELATED: Camping At Yosemite National Park
The monument has been open to public since 1884 and every year thousands of people visit this monument to one of the founders of United States. Not only tourist and residents of the city visit this place, but schools also bring their students here to show them the tallest stone structure in the world that honors one of the greatest men from history.
The visitors can also take elevators to the top of the monument from where they can enjoy the spectacular view of the capital city up to thirty miles on all sides when the weather is clear. There is also a narrow pond on the west of the monument which extends towards the Lincoln Memorial and when sunlight reflects on it, it makes for an unforgettable sight. If you ever visit Washington your trip would be incomplete without seeing the Washington Monument.
The Washington Monument as seen from the Lincoln Memorial.
Aerial view of the Washington Monument and Jefferson Memorial