The Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC

The Lincoln Memorial, an iconic landmark on the National Mall in Washington, DC, is a tribute to President Abraham Lincoln, who fought to preserve our nation during the Civil War, from 1861-1865. The Memorial has been the site of many famous speeches and events since its dedication in 1922, most notably Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963.

A beautiful structure with seven-foot diameter columns that stretch 44 feet high, architect Henry Bacon designed the Lincoln Memorial in a style similar to a Greek temple. The structure’s 36 columns represent the 36 states in the Union at the time of Lincoln’s death. A 19-foot larger than life-size marble statue of Lincoln sits in the center of the memorial and the words of the Gettysburg Address and the Second Inaugural Address are inscribed on the walls. The Memorial is often less crowded at night and is most impressive when it is illuminated.