Washington Monument
To truly experience our Nation's Capital, you must see it from the tallest structure in Washington, DC. The Washington Monument rises 555 feet above the National Mall and offers the best view of the city. The Washington Monument was erected to honor the greatness of the city of President George Washington. The first cornerstone was placed on July 4, 1843, and was finally completed on December 6, 1884. The obelisk design was Mills' interpretation of city designer Pierre L'Enfant's centerpiece for the capital city. Fifty flags surround the base of the Monument, one to symbolize each state in the Union. Hours of operation are 9:00 am to 4:45 pm daily. It is free to get in, but you do need to get free tickets to reserve a time.
Location: 15th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW
Metro: Federal Triangle (BLUE and ORANGE Lines) and Smithsonian (BLUE and ORANGE Lines)
Checking the South face of the Washington Monument A structural engineer taps each masonry stone block for structural integrity. If the stone makes a tink noise then its interior is fine. If the stone makes a thunk sound then the interior has cracked.
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Structural engineer examining the Washington Monument On August 23, 2011 a magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck near Washington, DC. In this photo, a civil and structural engineer begins the lengthy task of examining the structure for cracks.
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Spectators pointing to structural engineer Two women pause to cast their gaze upward to the structural engineer examining the Southern face of the Washington Monument after the August 23rd, 2011 earthquake.
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A safety spotter watches engineers on top of Washington Monument A safety spotter with large binoculars looks at adverse South-Eastern portion of the Monument with engineers examining each stone due to possible damage from an earthquake.
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Examining the West and South faces of the Washington Monument Structural engineers from around the country use mountain climbing equipment to investigate each of the massive marble stone blocks comprising the Washington Monument to check for earthquake damage.
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Engineers 500 feet from ground level in Washington, DC While examining the four facades of the Washington Monument, rappelling engineers who are assigned with the task of determining exterior damage from the DC earthquake, have already plucked several "softball" sized pieces of marble from the obelisk.
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West View of the Washington Monument The seasons change in Washington, but the monument remains resolute.
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East view of George Washington National Monument * Sun reflects on the Potomac River. Bouncing up on the National Monument.
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North View of the Washington Monument This soldier's eternal duty is to gaze upon the tallest stone obelisk in the world.
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Between two large spruce trees stands the Washington Monument located at the west end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. *
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Visitors 2 years of age or older must have a ticket to enter the Monument. Free tickets may be obtained at the 15th Street kiosk or calling 1-800-967-2283. *
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A West view of the United States Presidential Memorial constructed for George Washington. *
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The Washington Monument is the world's tallest masonry structure, standing 555 feet, 5 inches (169.29 metres) in height and made of marble, granite, and sandstone. *
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The monument was designed by Robert Mills, a prominent American architect of the 1840s. *
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The actual construction of the monument began in 1848, but was not completed until 1884. *
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