Washington Monument

Welcome to the heart of the National Mall. You are standing before the Washington Monument, an iconic stone obelisk that pierces the skyline at 2, 15th Street Northwest. At roughly 555 feet, 5 and 1/8 inches tall, this is the world’s tallest predominately stone structure and the tallest obelisk on the planet. It was built to honor George Washington, the first president of the United States, a man so central to the American story that Thomas Jefferson once said his name would ‘prevent the ruins of history.’ As you look up, you will notice its stark, clean lines, which embody the republican ideals of simplicity and strength that Washington himself championed.^[3] Take a moment to orient yourself; you are positioned precisely where the north-south axis from the White House meets the east-west axis from the United States Capitol. This monument does not just honor a man; it serves as the geographic and symbolic anchor for the entire capital city.