Lincoln Memorial

In a city of icons, the inspiration for the back of the penny stands out in the crowd. It’s the classicism evoked by the Greek temple design, or the way the memorial so perfectly anchors the Mall’s west end, or maybe just the stony dignity of Lincoln’s gaze and the power of his speeches engraved in the walls. Whatever; a visit here while gazing over the Reflecting Pool is a defining DC moment. These are the steps where lovers kiss and schoolchildren lounge, protestors gather and Martin Luther King Jr’s dream seared itself into the national conscience. To add to the civil rights record, read the words of the Emancipation Proclamation and Lincoln’s Second Inaugural speech, which flank the seated ‘Papa Abraham.’ Designed by Henry Bacon to resemble a Doric temple, the memorial’s 36 columns represent the 36 states in Lincoln’s union.

This is one of DC’s cinematic scene stealers. Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn discussed girls on the memorial steps in Wedding Crashers; Reese Witherspoon’s Elle Woods sought Lincoln’s advice in Legally Blonde 2; and Tom Hanks charged into the Reflecting Pool to kiss Jenny in Forrest Gump. We’d advise you not to follow his example. While the pool is a lovely addition to the face of the Mall, it’s also – the mallards love this spot – a 2000ft vat of duck shit.