The Jefferson Memorial

The Lincoln Memorial

The Washington Monument

The Washington Monument is one of the city's most impressive sights. The monument was erected to the memory of the first President of the USA. It is also called "The Pencil".

One of the tallest stone constructions in the world, standing just over 555 feet high, and the monument was modeled after the obelisks of Ancient Egypt. It is faced with white marble and the interior walls lined with memorial stones from the 50 states, foreign countries and organizations. Around the base flutter 50 "star-spangled banners representing the states of America.

Work on the monument was started in 1848. The Washington Monument was designed by architect Robert Mills. The obelisk was unveiled in 1888.

The Washington Monument is the tallest landmark in the city and a great place from which it is possible to get a bird's eye view of the capital. It stands in the centre of the Mall area, between the White House and the Tidal Basin, and on a clear day offers splendid views over the city and into Maryland and Virginia.

It is some time since anyone was allowed to walk up the 898 stairs to viewing level - too many people couldn't make the climb and had to be rescued - so now you can ride up in the elevator, though one can walk down if one prefers.

A short walk from the Washington Monument leads to the Lincoln Memorial at the west end of the Mall area on the banks of the Potomac River. The Lincoln Memorial is built in the calmly style of a classic Greek temple. The design of this classic temple-like building by Henry Bacon symbolizes the Union.

Thirty-six columns, representing the States of the Union at the time of Lincoln's death, support the roof of the building and carved along the frieze are the names of those same states.

In 1922 the memorial was completed. The names of the forty-eight states then constituting the Union were carved on the walls above the frieze.

The splendidly carved 19-foot-high marble figure of seated Lincoln which is inside the building gazes towards the Washington Monument across the clear pool of water (the Reflecting Pool) reminding people of the drama of the Civil War and the horror of the shooting in Ford's Theatre. In this very theatre Abraham Lincoln was mortally wounded in 1865 during the performance of a popular play "Our American Cousin".

The Lincoln Memorial was dedicated on Memorial Day - May 30, 1922.

Thomas Jefferson, besides being President of the USA, was also a gifted amateur architect, political thinker, and founder of the University of Virginia. This memorial, dedicated on April 13, 1943, the 200th anniversary of Jefferson's birth, was designed by the architectural firm of John Russell Pope in the simple classical style admired by Jefferson.

Inside the Memorial there is a 19-foot bronze statue of Jefferson sculpted by Rudolph Evans. Excerpts from four of Jefferson's writings are carved on the interior walls.

Surrounding the Memorial are cherry-trees that the City of Tokyo presented to the City of Washington in 1912.