Washington Monument

Website

www.nps.gov/nama/index.htm

Coordinates

Telephone

At the center of the National Mall stands the Washington Monument, celebrating George Washington. Designed by architect Robert Mills and completed under the direction of Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Lincoln Casey of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, it stands at just over 555 feet (169 meters) tall, making it the world’s tallest predominantly stone structure and the tallest classical obelisk.

Washington Monument (38.889579, -77.034727)

Washington Monument looking East (38.889579, -77.034727)

The Washington Monument honors George Washington, hero of the American Revolution and first president of the United States. When this stunning stone obelisk was completed in 1884, it was the tallest building in the world. The monument still towers over Washington DC, reminding us of Washington’s life and legacy, including the capital city that bears his name.

Construction began in 1848 through private fundraising by the Washington National Monument Society, but work was halted in 1854 due to a lack of funds and the onset of the American Civil War. When construction finally resumed under the federal government in the late 1870s, builders had to use marble sourced from a different quarry; as a result, a distinct color shift remains clearly visible about one-third of the way up the structure. Dedicated in 1885 and officially opened to the public in 1888, the monument features an interior iron staircase and elevator system leading to an observation deck with panoramic views of the nation’s capital. Today, surrounded by 50 American flags representing all fifty states, the monument stands as one of the most recognizable and enduring symbols of American history and governance.