The Washington Monument Essay -- Architecture History Historical Essay

The Washington Monument The most stunning monument in our capital is the Washington Monument. At 555 feet high, it is the tallest such monument in the world. It is an obelisk by shape, yet not a true obelisk because it is not carved out of a single stone. The monument was built at intervals between 1848 and 1885. It memorializes George Washington's achievements and his devotion to principles and to his country. The Washington Monument has an interesting history. The idea of a monument celebrating George Washington was first considered by the Continental Congress in 1783. However, the next three decades brought neglect by Congress to take action. Finally, in 1833 the Washington National Monument Society was organized to forward the progress of the monument. Progress was slow for the society and by 1847 they had raised $87,000. Robert Mills, a well-known architect, was soon selected to design the monument. His design called for a decorated obelisk that was 600 feet high, rising out of a circular colonnaded building. This building was to be a 'temple' , an American pantheon, which would house statues of presidents and national heroes, including a large statue of George Washington. The design changed over the years and finally settled on a the obelisk without decoration as we know today. The building progressed well until the civil war. At this time construction was halted for almost 25 years. This left the unfinished obelisk standing 150 feet. Finally, on August 2, 1876, President Grant ordered the completion of the monument. The capstone was placed on the monument on December 6, 1884 and it was finally dedicated on February 21, 1885. Elevators were first powered by a steam hoist. The current elevator was installed in 195... ...ke the ancient Egyptians, we still raise monuments to commemorate our present day heroes. Although today these monuments are ordered and directed by the general public and not by the king or hero themselves. (This probably accounted for the difficulty in final completion of the Washington Monument) The long history or the obelisk being built, toppled, and stolen, further illustrates the ideas it contains. It stood for power and divinity. Today, the Washington Monument stands as a symbol of George Washington's contribution to our nation and our citizens still pay tribute to the great leader. Works Cited: Badawy, Alexander. A History of Egyptian Architecture. University of California Press. 1968. Tompkins, Peter. The Magic of Obelisks. Harper & Row Publishers, New York, 1981. Engelbach, L. The Problem of the Obelisks. T. Fisher Unwin Limited, London, 1923.