Washington Monument
Address
2 15th St NW, Washington DC
GPS
38.9007003, -77.0336365
The Washington Monument is an obelisk constructed to honor George Washington, the first president of the United States. It is located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. to the east of the Reflecting Pool and the Lincoln Memorial.
Quick facts
- Name: Washington Monument
- Location: Washington, DC, USA
- Built 1885
- Type of attraction: Architectural/Monument
- Ticket price: Free
The monument is made of marble, granite and bluestone gneiss and is both the world’s highest predominantly stone structure and the world’s highest obelisk.
When it was inaugurated in 1885, it was the world’s tallest structure, until 1889, with construction of Eiffel Tower.
The original design was completed by Robert Mills (1781–1855), who was from South Carolina, but he did not include his proposed colonnade because he did not have enough funding, proceeding only with a bare obelisk.
The cornerstone was laid on July 4, 1848; the first stone was laid atop the unfinished stump on August 7, 1880; the capstone was set on December 6, 1884; the completed monument was dedicated on February 21, 1885; and the completed monument was officially opened on October 9, 1888.
Interesting facts about Washington Monument
Here are some interesting facts about this amazing landmark:
- The Monument is built as a free-standing construction, which means there is no cement holding the blocks together.
- There are 896 steps to the top of the Washington Monument.
- The color of the marble changes at the 152 foot mark. Construction was stopped due to a lack of budget and when it started again they used marble from a different quarry.
