| Washington Monument tips and photos posted by real travelers and Washington D.C. locals.
Constitution Avenue & 15th Street
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 Washington Monument by deecat
Having gone to college at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Illinois, where the area is known as Little Egypt, the school mascot is the Egyptian Saluki Dog, and the school year book is called the Obelisk, I have become fascinated with Egyptian culture. So, anytime that I see an Obelisk-like structure, I'm attracted to it...the Washington Monument is no exception.
Fashioned after the obelisks of ancient Egypt, the Washington Monument, a memorial to our founding father, George Washington, soars 555 feet above the Capitol skyline. It is one of the tallest free-standing masonry constructions in the world! This impressive white marble monument took 50 years to complete because of fundraising problems, the Civil War, and political in-fighting. If you look closely, you'll be able to see two different shades of white color in the marble due to the delay.
A fast elevator literally "whisks" (72 seconds) people to the top for a breathtaking view of DC, Maryland, and Viriginia. Once, you could walk the 800+ steps; that is now forbidden.
Starting in 1998 and finishing in 2,000, the Washington Monument was renovated by repairing the exterior masonry and mortar, refurbishing the elevator, installing a new climate-controll system, and polishing the 193 carved commemorative stones (gifts from the 50 states, foreign countries, and various organizations as well as individuals. The most impressive stone was given by Alaska, and it is solid Jade!)
Free tickets are available at the Kiosk on 15th Street.
Open:
April 1 to Labor Day
Daily: 8:00 am-11:45 pm
Labor Day-March 31
Daily: 9:00 am-4:45 pm
Note: photograph from brochure because mine did not turn out5s* Leave a Comment
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Located on the National Mall is this tall obelisk, a monument dedicated to the first President of the United States.
Viewed from all directions around D.C., the Washington Monument truly is a magnificent sight. The obelisk reaches a height of 550 feet and is surrounded by 50 American flags.
I didn't get a chance to visit inside the monument as you need to arrive very early to snag one of the few entrance tickets given out. Leave a Comment
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 Washington Monument by tpangelinanLeave a Comment
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 Washington Monument from
the WWII Memorial by Ewingjr98,
4 more photos
Finally at the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1876, congress appropriated money, and work resumed in 1879. To this day, visitors can see the line separating the original 150 feet of the monument from the remainder of the monument constructed after 1878. Finally in 1884, the tip of the monument was completed, 500 feet above the ground. Leave a Comment
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 Washington Monument from a
plane in 1958 by grandmaR, 4 more photos
The monument is now open again . It is open all year except Christmas 9:00am - 5:00pm and is free, but you will need a ticket.
Free tickets are distributed for that day's visit from the kiosk on the Washington Monument grounds at 15th Street and Madison Drive on a first-come first-served basis. Hours for the ticket kiosk are 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, but tickets run out early.
If you can call the reservation number between 10 am and 10 pm to get tickets, you will be charged $1.50 per ticket plus a 50 cent handling fee per order.
Note, no food, drink, or large bags are allowed in the monument.
Two hour parking is available for the monument off of Constitution Avenue near 15th Street but it is limited. Long term parking is available along Ohio Drive under the 14th Street bridge.
You can get there on metro, or you can take the Tourmobile with unlimited on-off. Leave a Comment
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 With Washington Monument
at Background by machomikemd,
3 more photos
The monument is among the world's tallest masonry structures, standing 555feet (169.29 m) in height and made of marble, granite, and sandstone. It was designed by Robert Mills, a prominent American architect of the 1840s. The actual construction of the monument began in 1848 but was not completed until 1884, almost 30 years after the architect's death. This hiatus in construction was because of a lack of funds and the intervention of the American Civil War. A difference in shading of the marble, visible approximately 150 feet (45 m) up, clearly delineates the initial construction from its resumption in 1876.
The Washington Monument is open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, with the last tour beginning at 4:45 pm. The only days for sceduled closure are July 4th and December 25th. The Washington Monument is free, but does require a ticket. The ticket kiosk for the monument, located at the base of the monument on 15th street opens at 8:30 am to distribute free tickets on a first come first serve basis. One person may pick up to six tickets maximum.
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 TRIBUTE IN STONE by travelgourmetLeave a Comment
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 The bold Washington
Monument by gosiaPL
The original design by Robert Mills envisaged it to be a 600 ft Egyptian obelisk on a 100-ft-high circular colonnaded Greek pantheon. In the end, only the simple obelisk was built, and the building process wasn't problem-free. You can actually see the discolorations of the marble that mark the different stages and dormant periods in the building process. It took 40 years from the laying of the cornerstone in 1848 to the opening for the public in 1888. The setbacks in the building process were not caused only by the lack of funds, as many people might think. Prejudice came into play too - you can read this interesting story here.
This monument looks phenomenal when lit at night! But even in daylight it looks great, especially if you view it from the Lincoln Memorial - that's when you can see it reflected in the Reflecting Pool.
By the way, if you're not a native speaker of English, and you're lost among all these memorials and monuments names, try to remember that only this one is called a monument. The other ones are called memorials. This simple tip from Janet came useful, hard to confuse these two words now - thanks, Janet! Leave a Comment
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 View of the ellipse and the
White House by rexvaughan, 3 more photos
Admission is free but timed tickets are required. These may be obtained by calling 1-800-967-2283 or on the internet at http://reservations.nps.gov/. There is a $1.50 fee for mailing and handling. The monument is open every day of the year except December 25 8:00 a.m. to midnight (9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. September-March). Leave a Comment
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To be able to get inside due to security reasons. They are selling tickets, but they are selling them on a time schedule. Get there very early in the morning to get in line to get your scheduled ticket. Don't worry it is worth your wait!
One of the tallest masonry structure in the world, and dedicated in 1885 in memory to our beloved First US President of The United States of America. Elevator ride takes you to the top for a stunning view.
Open daily 9am-5pm
Closed Christmas and 4th of July. Leave a Comment Phone: 202-426-6841Directions: If you use the metro: SmithsonianWebsite: www.nps.gov/wamo Other Contact: 800-967-2283
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