The Washington Monument, a symbol of the U.S. capital and the tallest stone structure in the world, was once considered a “national embarrassment” and came perilously close to never being completed.
The Washington Monument is a large white memorial located on the west side of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., United States. This monument was built to honor the first President of the United States, George Washington. The monument is the tallest stone structure in the world, standing at 169.29 meters and constructed from marble, granite, and sandstone. It was designed by Robert Mills, a prominent American architect from the late 1840s. Construction of the monument actually began in 1848, but by 1884—nearly 30 years after the architect’s death—it remained unfinished. This construction delay was due to a lack of funding and the interference of the American Civil War. From a height of about 45 meters, there is a noticeable difference in the sheen of the marble surface, clearly indicating the junction between the originally constructed section and the part that was resumed in 1876. The cornerstone was laid on December 6, 1884, and the monument was deemed completed on February 21, 1885. It was officially opened to the public on October 9, 1888. |
