Why does the washington monument have that form

In the early s, the idea of a Lincoln pyramid was also floated. The original design chosen for the Washington Monument was fancier and more clearly neoclassical: the base of the obelisk was to be ringed with 30 columns, its entrance topped by a statue. After the monument sat unfinished, stalled at an embarrassing feet above ground between and because of lack of funds, the Congress stepped in and began seeking new proposals, fearing that the monument would seem out-of-date new proposals included this Gothic tower.

Twice a week we compile our most fascinating features and deliver them straight to you. Live TV. This Day In History. History Vault. Plans for the monument began even before Washington was elected president. The original design for the monument was much different than what ended up being built.

Recommended for you. Twenty-five years later, the U. Government took over and completed the upper two-thirds of the structure by using marble from a different quarry. The two sections closely resembled each other at first, but time, wind, rain, and erosion have caused the marble sections to weather differently, thereby producing the difference in color. A third type of marble is also visible at the dividing line between the two main phases of construction.

Does the Washington Monument sway in the wind? Not really. Because it is an all-stone structure, the building cannot bend and move the way a steel skyscraper can. Most of the movement visitors detect is from the floor shaking from other people walking around and the elevator vibrations.

Is there any steel or rebar in the Washington Monument? Steel beams were used to support the elevator shaft, but the structural elements of the Washington Monument are entirely stone. What can you see from the top of the Washington Monument? To the east, the U. Capitol, R. South Mountain Battlefield is the only Civil War battlefield that intersects with this historic trail. Fun fact: Maryland contains yet another Washington Monument that predates the historic structure on the National Mall.

Designed by Robert Mills, the same architect who designed the monument in D. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Skip to navigation Skip to main content Skip to footer. Act Now. Donate menu icon Menu.