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The Washington Monument, the tallest building in DC, at 555-feet (169 m), is the first landmark visitors notice when touring this American, capital city. The Monument is the cornerstone of the National Mall, where it sits high on a hill, overlooking the Tidal Basin, on the western edge of the Mall. This Egyptian style obelisk, crafted from pale colored, stones of marble, granite and sandstone, is a memorial to the first president of the United States, George Washington.

A monument to George Washington was first conceived in the late 1700s, during the initial planning of Washington, DC as the new capital city of America. Due to budget constraints, construction of the Monument didn’t begin until, 1848, using an obelisk design by architect, Robert Mills, who won a design competition. With various political squabbles and the ensuing Civil War, the Monument was not completed until, 1885, and was not open to the public until three years later, in 1888.

The demarcation of fits and starts of the early construction is evident, from the use of darker stones from a different quarry, used to complete the construction of the Monument in the late 1880s. The original design envisioned a surrounding colonnade, but was never built due to budget considerations.

Today, the Washington Monument is one of the most visible landmarks in the world that is identified with the United States capital. Visitors can tour the inside of the Monument, and ride an elevator to an observation deck with panoramic views of the District and surrounding lands of Maryland and Virginia. Tours are free of charge, but visitors must obtain tickets. This is a must-see landmark for any visitor to this southern capital city.

Where is the Washington Monument: West end of National Mall, opposite of the United States Capitol

How to get to the Washington Monument: Subway to Smithsonian Station on the orange and blue lines

Opening Hours: daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm




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