Washington Monument
Posted by: Fearless0
N 38° 53.357 W 077° 02.013
18S E 323629 N 4306455
Washington Monument located in Washington D.C. **The monument is temporarily closed due to a 5.8 magnitude earthquake August 23, 2011.
Waymark Code: WM30DQ
Location: District of Columbia, United States
Date Posted: 01/20/2008
Views: 197
The Washington Monument is a large, white-colored obelisk at the west end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. It is a United States Presidential Memorial constructed for George Washington.
The monument is among the world's tallest masonry structures, standing 555 feet (169.29 m) 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 the intervention of the American Civil War. A difference in shading of the marble, visible approximately 150 feet (45 m) 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, and 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.
The Washington Monument reflection can be seen in the aptly named Reflecting Pool, a rectangular pool extending to the west, towards the Lincoln Memorial.
**The Washington Monument is closed for repairs due to a 5.8 magnitude earthquake on August 23, 2011 ** More information can be found here: (
visit link)