As the capital of the nation, Washington DC boasts more than its fair share of America’ s great monuments and icons. The largest concentration of American monuments all lies along the length of the city’s National Mall. Often referred to as America’s front yard, the mall is the greatest public space in the country: around 24 million people visit the National Mall every year.
The National Mall is a stage on which American people come to protest, soak up their history or just lie in the sun. Stretching from the Lincoln Memorial to the United States Capitol building, it contains many of the most potent symbols of America’s national identity.
The Lincoln Memorial houses the statue of Abraham Lincoln—the 16th president of the United States. One of his great political speeches—the Gettysburg Address—is engraved in stone on its southern wall. In the center of the mall stands the Washington Monument built to honor the country’ s first president, George Washington. The obelisk was completed in 1888; and at 555-feet high, it is the tallest building in the city. The Federal law states that there is no other structure in DC which can be taller than the Washington Monument.
The United States Capitol building stands at the eastern end of the mall. Since the 1800s, the House of representatives and the Senate have met in this building to debate and define the country’s laws. Lining the edges of the National Mall are some of the America’s large institutions museums and galleries.
The Smithsonian American Art Museum is home to the best collection of American art in the world. The whimsical collection in the National Sculpture Garden is a much-needed breath of fresh air and fun. Epic in scale and ambition, the National Mall tells the story of America through architecture, institutions, and memorials.
Seeing the monuments at nights.
The National Mall is crowded everyday around noon and 3:00 pm. All locals know that the best trip hack is to see the memorials at night. Not only is it cooler and less crowded, but the monuments take out a whole different feel once it gets dark. You cannot come to Washington DC and not see the world War II Memorial after dark lit up in all its glory.
Sources: Britannica, Washington DC, National Park Services, Trust For The National Mall
An initiative by
Funding provided by
AmCham sponsors
Disclaimer:
This website was funded by a grant from the United States Department of State. The opinions, findings and conclusions stated herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State.
