Among the most famous . . . . . . . Towering Doric columns grace the Lincoln Memorial . Patterned after a Greek temple, the 36 outside columns represent the Union of the 36 states that Lincoln helped preserve as one nation. On a clear day, Lincoln's statue is visible in the Reflecting Pool below. The Washington Monument honors the country's first President and Chief Executive.
Elevator rides to the top are available every five minutes.
The idea to cap the columns with sculptured ears of corn and leaves of tobacco was the idea of the Benjamin Latrobe, director of the building's construction under President Thomas Jefferson. These motifs represent the new republic's pride in its New World Products. The Jefferson Memorial incorporates some of Thomas Jefferson's own architectural designs for the rotunda and columns. A 19-foot bronze statue of the third President stands beneath the rotunda which is inscribed with inspiring passages from his writings. Home to the President of the United States, it was built in 1792.