February 22, as every school child knows, is George Washington’s birthday. In honor of the 276th anniversary of his birth, we thought we’d share a few of our favorite photos of the Washington Monument in Washington DC.
The Washington Monument is prominently placed in the center of the National Mall. It is visible from many different sites in the city. At over 555 feet tall, the Washington Monument is the tallest obelisk in the world. It is still the tallest building in Washington, DC. On a clear day, visibility from the top of monument averages 30 to 40 miles.
Designed by Robert Mills in the 1840’s, the Washington Monument took almost 40 years to construct. The cornerstone of the Washington Monument was laid on July 4, 1848. It was completed on December 6, 2884, dedicated on February 21, 1885 and opened to the public on October 9, 1888.
Here are some of our favorite photos of the Washington Monument:
Photographed at dawn from the George Washington Parkway in Virginia. Photo was taken in January 2007.
Washington Monument at Dawn (c) 2007 Patty Hankins
Photographed at Sunrise from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Photo was taken in June 2004.
DC Sunrise (c) 2004 William Lawrence
Photographed during the 2007 Cherry Blossom Festival from the Tidal Basin near the Jefferson Memorial.
Washington Monument with Cherry Blossoms (c) 2007 Patty Hankins
Photographed at sunset from the National Mall in 2003.
Washington Monument (c) 2003 William Lawrence
The Washington Monument is currently administered by the National Park Service as part of the National Mall and Memorial Parks. The Monument is open from 9 AM to 5 PM daily (except July 4 and December 25). Admission is free, but does require a ticket.
February 27, 2008 at 5:01 pm
These are some really great images of the Monument. I love the last one, even though they are all terrific.
May 22, 2008 at 5:06 am
[...] Memorial is located on the National Mall – between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial, on the other side of the Reflecting Pool from the Vietnam Veterans [...]