The Washington Monument

The monument is among the world's tallest masonry structures, standing 555 feet in height and made of marble, granite, and sandstone. It was designed by Robert Mills, a prominent American architect of the 1840s. The actual construction of the monument began in 1848 but was not completed until 1884, almost 30 years after the architect's death. This hiatus in construction was because of a lack of funds and it was not until President Ulysses S. Grant approved an act authorizing its completion.

A difference in shading of the marble, visible approximately 150 feet up, clearly delineates the initial construction from its resumption in 1876.

Its cornerstone was laid on July 4, 1848; the capstone was set on December 6, 1884 with a 9" pyramid of cast aluminum, a rare metal in 1884. The completed monument was dedicated on February 21, 1885. It officially opened October 9, 1888. Upon completion, it became the world's tallest structure, a title it inherited from the Cologne Cathedral and held until 1889, when the Eiffel Tower was finished in Paris, France.

When the Revolutionary War ended, no man in the United States commanded more respect than George Washington. Americans celebrated his ability to win the war despite limited supplies and inexperienced men, and they admired his decision to refuse a salary and accept only reimbursements for his expenses. Their regard increased further when it became known that he had rejected a proposal by some of his officers to make him king of the new country.

The monument is open daily and free tickets for a timed entrance are availabile. from the top of the Washington Monument you can see (these pictures were taken on a raining cold day)

To the east you can see the Mall and the Capitol Building.



To the south is the tidal basin and the Jefferson Monument.



To the West is the reflecting pool and the Lincoln Monument.



And to the north is the White House and the Old Executive Office Building.



For more information see the links below

Washington Monument Home Page

Wikipedia

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Washington Monument

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