Destinations

The Monuments and Memorials of the Nation's Capital

Washington, DC’s unforgettable skyline is marked by some of the world’s most celebrated monuments. The fantastic temples, structures and statues that grace the green expanses of the National Mall tell fascinating stories through their history and design. Here is some background information on the city’s most famous sights.

Lincoln Memorial (23rd St. and Constitution Ave., NW; Dedicated: 1922; Architect: Henry Bacon; Sculptor: Daniel Chester French). One of DC’s most familiar landmarks honors its 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. Architect Henry Bacon designed the Greek temple and the Lincoln statue was sculpted by Daniel Chester French, the chairman of the Commission of Fine Arts. Above the temple’s 38 columns are the names of the 36 states that were in the Union at the time of Lincoln’s death in 1865. Murals sculpted by Jules Guerin adorn the temple’s inner walls. Emancipation is on the south wall and hangs above the inscription of the Gettysburg Address. Unification is on the north wall, above Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address. The Lincoln Memorial was dedicated on Memorial Day, May 30, 1922, by Supreme Court Chief Justice William Howard Taft.

Washington Monument (15th St. and Constitution Ave., NW. Architect: Robert Mills. Dedicated:1888) Towering 555 1/8 feet above the National Mall, the Washington Monument was built as a powerful tribute to George Washington. The site—where the western axis of the Capitol intersects with the southern axis of the White House– was selected by Pierre L’Enfant. Exactly 50 flagpoles, representing each state, encircle the perimeter of the monument.

Arlington National Cemetery (Located in Arlington, VA about .4 miles over the Potomac River. designated officially as a military cemetery on June 15, 1864) More than 4 million visitors each year come to visit our nation’s most treasured burial ground, home to more than 300,000 honored soldiers and distinguished citizens. The official designation was granted on June 15, 1864 by Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. The Memorial Amphitheater was dedicated on May 15, 1920. While numerous wreath-laying and other memorial ceremonies are conducted throughout the country, many consider the services at Arlington's Memorial Amphitheater to be the nation's official ceremonies to honor servicemen and women.

Lincoln Memorial (23rd St. and Constitution Ave., NW; Dedicated: 1922; Architect: Henry Bacon; Sculptor: Daniel Chester French). One of DC’s most familiar landmarks honors its 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. Architect Henry Bacon designed the Greek temple and the Lincoln statue was sculpted by Daniel Chester French, the chairman of the Commission of Fine Arts. Above the temple’s 38 columns are the names of the 36 states that were in the Union at the time of Lincoln’s death in 1865. Murals sculpted by Jules Guerin adorn the temple’s inner walls. Emancipation is on the south wall and hangs above the inscription of the Gettysburg Address. Unification is on the north wall, above Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address. The Lincoln Memorial was dedicated on Memorial Day, May 30, 1922, by Supreme Court Chief Justice William Howard Taft.

Vietnam Women’s Memorial (East of Vietnam Veterans Memorial, 21st St. and Constitution Ave., NW; Dedicated: 1993; Architect: Glenna Goodacre) When the Vietnam Veterans Memorial opened in 1982, the women who served in the conflict felt slighted by their virtual exclusion from the design. In 1984, the Vietnam Women’s Memorial was founded so that a tribute to the servicewomen and field hospital nurses could complement the new memorial. The Women’s Memorial was dedicated on Veteran’s Day 1993. Paralleling the Three Servicemen statue at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the memorial depicts three field-hospital nurses caring for wounded soldiers. Eight yellowwood trees surround the statue in tribute to the eight women who were killed in action during the war. Korean War Veterans Memorial (West Potomac Park, Independence Ave., beside the Lincoln Memorial; Dedicated: 1995; Architect: Cooper & Lecky; Sculptors: Frank Gaylord and Louis Nelson) Dedicated in 1995 on the 42nd anniversary of the armistice that ended the war, the Korean War Veterans Memorial features a polished wall engraved with the faces of soldiers, nurses, chaplains, and even a dog, honoring those who served. A bronze sculpture group of platoon soldiers inching through a field forms the focal point of the memorial. Sculptor Frank Gaylord created the 19 statues of the soldiers, whose moving, weary expressions reflect the harsh circumstances of the war. The polished granite wall reflects the images of the soldiers and doubles the platoon’s size to 38— a metaphor for the 38th parallel, the border between North and South Korea.

Thomas Jefferson Memorial (South end of 15th St., SW on the Tidal Basin; Dedicated: 1943; Architects: John Russell Pope, Otto R. Eggers; Daniel P. Higgins) With a memorable form reminiscent of the Pantheon, the memorial to the third president took only nine years to complete. Architect John Russell Pope incorporated one of Jefferson’s favorite design elements, the rotunda, into the memorial design. While derided by critics who felt the memorial should be more American in style, the classical influence reflects Jefferson’s admiration of Roman politics and architecture. The memorial was dedicated on April 13, 1943.

The National Mall (stretches from 3rd St., NW and the Capitol grounds to 14th St., between Independence and Constitution Aves.) Officially, the National Mall is a swath of green space that begins at 3rd Street and stretches to 14th Street. Visitors and locals, however, widely use the term to refer to the entire expanse of monuments and museums, from the grounds of the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial. The area often plays host to concerts, rallies, festivals, as well as Frisbee matches, family outings, and picnics.

U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima) (Adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery on the George Washington Memorial Parkway; Dedicated: 1954; Architect: Horace W. Peaslee; Sculptor: Felix W. de Weldon). Located across the Potomac River in Arlington, Virginia, the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial is home to one of the most celebrated patriotic sculptures in which five soldiers and one Navy corpsman raise the flag at Iwo Jima. The statue is modeled after a Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph taken by Joe Rosenthal. The three survivors of the battle posed for the sculptor, who recreated the expressions of the deceased soldiers from photographs.

Theodore Roosevelt Memorial and Island (East of the Key Bridge on the Potomac River; Dedicated: 1967; Architect: Eric Gugler; Sculptor: Paul Manship) Theodore Roosevelt’s deep love of nature and strong commitment to conservation are reflected throughout the 88-acre island, where 2.5 miles of hiking trails pass through dense forests and marshy swamps. Originally called Analostan Island, it was used during the Civil War to sequester African-American soldiers. The centerpiece of the island, a memorial to the President, was dedicated in 1967. The memorial features a 23-foot statue of Roosevelt, situated in an oval terrace with two roaring fountains. The terrace is surrounded by four granite tablets inscribed with the President’s philosophy on nature, manhood, youth and the state.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial (Constitution Ave. and Henry Bacon Dr., NW; Architect: Maya Ying Lin; Dedicated: 1982) Often referred to as the “Wall,” the Vietnam Veterans Memorial honors the American soldiers who were killed during the war, were prisoners of war, and who remain missing in action, whose names are listed on the black granite V-shaped memorial. Visitors are encouraged to make rubbings of names, using graphite pencils and commemorative paper supplied by park rangers. The names are listed in chronological order from 1959 to 1975, and are listed alphabetically on each day of action. Beside each name, a symbol denotes the status of the soldier: diamonds mark those who were killed in action, crosses denote those who are missing or classified as prisoners of war.

U.S. Navy Memorial and Naval Heritage Center (701 Pennsylvania Ave., NW; Dedicated: 1990; Architect: Conklin Rossant; Sculptor: Stanley Bleifeld). DC’s city designer, Pierre L’Enfant, included a Navy Memorial in his original plans for the city, but no actions were taken on L’Enfant’s intent until 1977, when the Navy Memorial Foundation was established. The memorial is an amphitheater-like construction featuring a 100-foot, 108-ton granite map—the largest in the world. The map is framed by two sculpture walls with 22 bronze reliefs that honor aspects of naval service. A seven-foot tall bronze statue entitled “Lone Soldier” stands at the entrance to the U.S. Navy Memorial, representing all past, present and future Navy servicemen and women.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial (1850 W. Basin Dr., SW; Dedicated: 1997; Architect: Lawrence Halprin; Sculptors: George Segal, Robert Graham, Neil Eastern, Thomas Hardy, and Leonard Baskin). The rambling FDR Memorial consists of four “rooms” arranged chronologically to represent the 32nd president’s unprecedented four terms in office. Spanning 7 ½ acres, the memorial defies FDR’s request for a modest tribute; he asked that the memorial not be any larger than his desk. Acknowledging FDR’s own physical difficulties, his memorial was the first creation of its kind designed with easy access for people with disabilities. The memorial, however, did not originally feature any renderings of the president in his wheelchair. FDR did not wish to be portrayed in his wheelchair, and designers honored this request. In 2001, in response to petitions from people with and without disabilities, a statue of FDR in his wheelchair was placed at the entrance of the memorial. The memorial also includes a statue of Eleanor Roosevelt—the only monumental tribute to a first lady—standing in front of the United Nations emblem, recognizing her role in the creation of that organization.

African-American Civil War Memorial (13th and U Sts., NW; Dedicated: 1998; Architect: Devereaux & Purnell; Sculptor: Ed Hamilton; Designer: Edward D. Dunson) One of DC’s most historic African-American neighborhoods is home to one of the nation’s few tributes to the African-American veterans of the Civil War. The memorial includes a granite-paved plaza encircled by walls that bear the names of the 209,145 men who served in the United States Troops of Color during the war. At the center of the plaza, a 10-foot statue bears the likenesses of uniformed black soldiers and a sailor ready to leave home. Women, children, and senior citizens huddle on the inner surface.

National World War II Memorial (East end of the Reflecting Pool, between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument; Dedication: May 29, 2004; Architect: Friedrich St. Florian) Dedicated in 2004, the National World War II Memorial pays tribute to the 16 million Americans who served in uniform, the more than 400,000 who lost their lives, and the millions more who sacrificed on the home front.

The Tomb of the Unknowns (also known as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier) stands atop a hill overlooking DC. On Memorial Day, 1921, four unknown soldiers were exhumed from four American World War I cemeteries in France. Sgt. Edward F. Younger, a World War I combat veteran and recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal, selected one of the caskets to represent the unknown soldiers who had fallen in battle. The chosen “unknown” was then transported to the US aboard the USS Olympia and interred at Arlington Cemetery.

Beyond its most famous patriotic symbols, the nation’s capital pays tribute to many other world leaders and historic events in memorials placed throughout the city. As you explore the city, look for these treasures:

  1. 101st Army Airborne Division Memorial (Arlington National Cemetery)
  2. Benjamin Banneker Park (Maine Ave., SW, South of L’Enfant Plaza Promenade)
  3. Mary McLeod Bethune Monument (Lincoln Park, E. Capitol St. between 11th and 12th Sts., NW)
  4. Black Revolutionary War Patriots Memorial (currently under development) (Constitution Gardens, Constitution Ave. and 17th St., NW)
  5. Boy Scout Memorial (15th St. and Constitution Ave. on the White House Ellipse)
  6. Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd, Jr. Memorial (Arlington National Cemetery)
  7. Challenger Memorial (Arlington National Cemetery)
  8. Confederate Monument (Arlington National Cemetery)
  9. Constitution Gardens
  10. Features a memorial honoring the signers of the Declaration of Independence. (Constitution Ave. and 17th St., NW)
  11. DC War Memorial (East of the Reflecting Pool, north of Independence Ave.)
  12. Albert Einstein Memorial (2101 Constitution Ave., NW)
  13. Emancipation Monument (Lincoln Park, E. Capitol St. between 11th and 12th Sts., NW)
  14. John Ericsson Monument (Independence Ave. and Ohio Dr.)
  15. First Infantry Division Monument (17th St. and State Pl., NW)
  16. Ulysses S. Grant Memorial (Maryland Ave. and 1st St., NW)
  17. Iran Rescue Memorial (Arlington National Cemetery)
  18. Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove (Boundary Channel Drive, near Pentagon North Parking Lot)
  19. Commodore John Paul Jones Memorial (17th St., South of Independence Ave., NW)
  20. Journalists Memorial (Freedom Park, on the overpass between 1100 and 1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA)
  21. Francis Scott Key Park (M St., NW, at the Key Bridge)
  22. Robert E. Lee Memorial (Arlington House) (Arlington National Cemetery)
  23. George Mason National Memorial (Tidal Basin, between Jefferson and FDR Memorials)
  24. Andrew W. Mellon Memorial Fountain (Pennsylvania and Constitution Aves. at 6th St., NW)
  25. Memorial to Pan Am Flight 103 (Arlington National Cemetery)
  26. National Guard Memorial (1 Massachusetts Ave., NW)
  27. National Japanese American Memorial (New Jersey and Lousiana Avenues at D St., NW)
  28. National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial (F St. between 4th and 5th Sts., NW)
  29. Nurses Memorial (Arlington National Cemetery)
  30. Peace Monument (1st St. and Pennsylvania Ave., NW)
  31. John Joseph Pershing Park (Pennsylvania Ave., between 14th and 15th Streets)
  32. John Aaron Rawlins Park (18th and E Sts., NW)
  33. Second Division Memorial (Constitution Ave. at the White House Ellipse)
  34. Settlers of the District of Columbia Memorial (Constitution Ave. at the White House Ellipse)
  35. William Tecumseh Sherman Park (North Ellipse at Hamilton Pl. and E St., NW)
  36. Robert A. Taft Memorial (1st St. and Constitution Ave., NW)
  37. USS Maine Memorial (Arlington National Cemetery)
  38. George Washington Masonic National Memorial (Alexandria, VA, near King Street Metro Station)
  39. Women in Military Service for America Memorial (Arlington National Cemetery)
  40. Women’s Titanic Memorial (Water St., SW, near Washington Channel Park)

For more information on Washington, DC’s monuments and memorials, visit www.nps.gov.

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