Washington, DC Sights

Washington Monument

#5 of 727 things to do in Washington, DC

#5 of 727 things to do in Washington, DC

1 reviews | Write a review

  • Address
    • cnr Constitution Ave & 15th St
  • Transport
    • Smithsonian
  • Website
  • Phone
    • 202 619 7222
  • Price
    • admission free, reservations $2
  • Hours
    • 9am-5pm, to 10pm summer

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Lonely Planet review for Washington Monument

Oldest joke in DC: ‘So, what part of Washington is his monument modeled on?’ Yeah, that’s right, America has a bigger…obelisk than you. At 555ft the monument is not only the tallest building in DC (by federal law no structure can reach above it), it is also the tallest masonry structure in the world. Construction began in 1848 but a lack of funds during the Civil War kept building in a quagmire and the 90,854-ton, brick-and-marble structure was not completed until 1888. The original marble was drawn from Maryland, but the source dried up about a third of the way through construction and contractors had to turn to Massachusetts for marble. If you look closely there is a visible delineation in color where the old and new marble meet. Inside the monument, an elevator whisks you to an observation landing deck. In the days before September 11, 2001 it was possible to descend the 897 steps rather than take the elevator – the shaft’s interior is decorated with inscribed stones. Believe it or not, when the monument first opened the elevator was not considered safe for women; men got to ride in style to the top, while women had to hoof it. Same-day tickets for a timed entrance are available at the ticket kiosk on the monument grounds. Distribution starts at 8am; make sure you arrive early as tickets are limited. Alternatively, you can reserve your tickets for a small fee by calling in advance. Food, drink and large bags are prohibited.

 

Traveller reviews for Washington Monument (1)

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    Pride of the City

    okotor recommends this,

    This excellently prominent and precisely compiled piece of rock inside this seemingly small, peaceful town of about half a million should be the first sightseeing choice of every excitement looking tourist. When up inside, you start to have this solemn feeling of being right in the center of things. This is because the top floor offers a beautiful view on two greatest institutions in the United States, the White House and the US Capitol, plus two well-known presidential memorials. Those four buildings are situated at each end of a cross-shaped plateau called the National Mall.

    Unlike at most other US sights, there is no entrance fee at the Washington Monument. All you do is just come to the ticket house no further than 100 meters away from the monument and pick up a free entrance ticket. Usually, you should do this about an hour and a half prior the time you want to get in as the ticket is due at a certain time.

    The only way to get up the monument is a lift which goes surprisingly fast. The first thing you will notice when you enter the top floor is various pictures, articles and quotes, mainly of and about George Washington. Still, by far the best highlight is four windows with a view on four formerly mentioned buildings on each side and a splendid panorama of the whole Washington DC. At every window, you get to read some of the building's history and see some pictures taken from the same spot in different years and centuries.

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