Washington DC Monuments and Memorials

Today is July 4th, Independence Day in the USA.

The Fourth of July is usually a day to gather with friends and family, enjoy food, go to parades and, of course, watch fireworks.

I’m sure there will be thousands of photos of fireworks posted online today and tomorrow so, for my Photos of the Week, I decided to do something a little different.

Instead of fireworks, here are some photos of our nation’s capitol, Washington DC.

The Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC. "The Memory of Abraham Lincoln is Enshrined Forever."

Lincoln Memorial. The Memory of Abraham Lincoln is Enshrined Forever. Pentax *ist DS.

First up is the statue of Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial.

When visiting Washington DC and the National Mall, the Lincoln Memorial is one of the most inspiring monuments you’ll see for multiple reasons.

First, I just think the statue is striking because it’s pretty big and, come on, you’re standing in front of Abraham Lincoln looking out over the nation’s capitol with that awesome inscription behind him!  How could you not be inspired?

Add in the additional Inaugural Address and Gettysburg Address inscriptions and the sheer amount of history that has happened at the Lincoln Memorial, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, and you have an overwhelming monument that will inspire generations to come.

 


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Next up is probably the most recognizable structure on the National Mall, the Washington Monument.

The monolithic Washington Monument in the National Mall, Washington DC. Pentax *ist DS.

The monolithic Washington Monument in the National Mall, Washington DC. Pentax *ist DS.

Tourists checking out the Washington Monument in the National Mall, Washington DC. Pentax *ist DS.

Tourists at the Washington Monument in the National Mall, Washington DC. Pentax *ist DS.

What I enjoyed most about the Washington Monument was going up to the observation level and looking out over the entire District of Columbia.

According to the National Park Service’s Washington Monument website, the monument was/is undergoing repairs due to an earthquake in 2011.  If it is still closed, I certainly hope it is reopened for the public because seeing the nations capitol from that vantage point is pretty cool.

 

Lastly I have this photo of a section of the National World War II Memorial.

The WW2 Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC.

The WW2 Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial, Washington DC.

The WWII Memorial is another awesome place on the National Mall and I do mean “awesome” in its literal definition.

When you walk into the round area of the Memorial, which occupies a rather large area, you can’t help but feel the weight of everything that the WWII Memorial was built to commemorate:

Conflict and cooperation on a global scale, an unthinkable number of lives lost and a chapter of our modern history that we hope not to repeat.

Walking around the Memorial, reading all the inscribed quotes and seeing the military Veterans and their families that are there any given day just gives you a sense of, I don’t know, “awe”.

It’s hard to put into words but there’s a lot that goes through your head when you think about the good and the bad of war.

I imagine everyone experiences it a bit differently too.

 

Washington DC is a great place to visit for the incredible amount of history that has happened there so, if you are traveling and get the chance, I highly recommend spending at least a couple days taking in the sights and experiences.

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I didn’t mention the museum aspect of the National Mall in this post but, when you visit, you need to spend at least a couple days exploring the Smithsonian Museum complex in Washington DC too.  If you like to learn about our world, history and anything really, you’ll love the museums.

 

That’s it for this week.  Thanks for visiting and keep an eye out for more photos from Washington DC, including more monuments and memorials and some of the Smithsonian Museums.

Happy Fourth of July!

Fourth of July Fireworks. Red White and Boom, Columbus, OH. Pentax *ist DS.

Fourth of July Fireworks. Red White and Boom, Columbus, OH. Pentax *ist DS.

Court.

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