The Washington Monument
 |
Facts about the monument:
- Cornerstone laid: July 4, 1848
- Capstone set: December 6, 1884
- Dedicated: February 21, 1885
- Officially opened to the public: October 9, 1888
- Designed by Robert Mills
- Total height of monument: 555 feet, 5 1/8 inches
- Height from lobby to observation level: 500 feet or 50 stories
- Width at base of monument: 55 feet 1 1/2 inches
- Width at top of shaft: 34 feet 5 ½ inches
- Thickness of monument walls at base: 15 feet
- Thickness of monument walls at observation level: 18 inches
- Total number of blocks in monument: 36,491
- Exterior: White marble primarily from Baltimore, Maryland
- Elevator trip: 60 seconds each way
- Number of steps in stairwell: 896
Printable Travel Guide from the National Park Service
Want more information? Visit http://www.nps.gov/wash |