Monument · Washington, D.C., United States
Jefferson Memorial
The Thomas Jefferson Memorial is a national memorial in Washington, D. Built 1943. It drew 852,626 visitors in 2020.
Photo: Brian Hamfeldt via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Washington, D.C., United States |
|---|---|
| Type | Monument |
| Built | 1943 |
| Architect | John Russell Pope |
| Annual visitors (2020) | 852,626 |
| Coordinates | 38.8814° N, 77.0365° W |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Jefferson Memorial is known for
The Thomas Jefferson Memorial is a national memorial in Washington, D.
About Jefferson Memorial
The Thomas Jefferson Memorial is a national memorial in Washington, D.C., built in honor of Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the nation's third president. Built between 1939 and 1943, the memorial features multiple quotes from Jefferson intended to capture his ideology and philosophy, known as Jeffersonian democracy. Jefferson was widely considered among the most influential political minds of his era and one of the most consequential intellectual forces behind both the American Revolution and the American Enlightenment.
History
The Jefferson Memorial sits on filled land within the Potomac River that, in the late 19th century, was used as a beach. The site was appealing at least partly because it was located directly south of, and in view of, the White House. In 1901, the Senate Park Commission was established to create a plan for Washington, D.C.'s park system, later to become the McMillan Plan.
Planning a visit? Visit the official Jefferson Memorial website — the official site has the current visiting information.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Washington, D.C. |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) |
| Distance from the airport | 2.0 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) · Washington, United States · 2.0 miles away
- Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) · Dulles, United States · 23.0 miles away
- Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) · Baltimore, United States · 28.3 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in United States
More monuments
Frequently asked questions
What is Jefferson Memorial?
The Thomas Jefferson Memorial is a national memorial in Washington, D.
Where is Jefferson Memorial located?
Jefferson Memorial is in Washington, D.C., United States. Its coordinates are 38.8814° N, 77.0365° W.
How do I get to Jefferson Memorial?
The nearest town is Washington, D.C., and the nearest airport is Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), about 2.0 miles away (straight line).
When was Jefferson Memorial built?
Jefferson Memorial was built 1943.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_Memorial — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q326183 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://www.nps.gov/thje/index.htm — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.