As the centerpieces on the National Mall in the heart of the District, it is impossible to miss the world’s tallest stone monument, especially when it is adjacent to the world’s most famous house. Both the Washington Monument the White House are synonymous with our nation’s capital, iconic members of Washington, D.C.’s beautiful skyline. With fascinating histories and interesting perspectives on our country’s history, both are popular tourist attractions for visitors. Learn all about this Washington monument below:
The White House
Located north of the National Mall, the White House has been the official resident and workplace of the U.S. President since John Adams in 1800 (the building was under construction while George Washington was in office, so he never lived there). Built of Aquia Creek sandstone painted in a gleaming white hue, the mansion has seen numerous additions over the years. Thomas Jefferson added the colonnades, Teddy Roosevelt was the first to move his executive offices to the newly constructed West Wing in 1901, and William Taft constructed the modern Oval Office in 1909. The modern complex features the residence of the sitting U.S. President (the 2nd floor of the mansion), additional office buildings for Executive staff, and venues for hosting state events.
Self-guided and public tours are available to the public, free of charge. However, due to high demand and security concerns advanced planning is required. Self-guided tours run Tuesday through Thursday, 7:30am to 11:30am, and Fridays and Saturdays from 7:30am to 1:30 pm.
The Washington Monument
Rising 554’ above the District in the center of the National Mall is the Washington Memorial this iconic obelisk is the tallest stone structure in the world. Built as a monument to our nation’s first President, it was constructed of granite, marble, and bluestone gneiss from 1848 to 1888. Interestingly, the modern monument’s exterior reveals some of its fascinating history. One-third of the way up its façade there is a noticeable change in the tower’s composition (at ~150’), marking the period in time when construction was halted due to the Civil War and then resumed – albeit with different building materials. The obelisk is topped with a pyramidion capped in aluminum (one of the rarest, most valuable metals in the world at the time of construction). Today the monument is surrounded by a circular field of 50 American flags, one for each state in the Union.
The Washington Monument is currently closed through the Spring of 2019 for modernization of the internal elevator that transports visitors to the observation deck.