Monument · Washington, D.C., United States
Washington Monument
The Washington Monument is a 555-foot (169 m) tall obelisk on the National Mall in Washington, D. Built 1848–1885. It drew 83,585 visitors in 2020.
Photo: Greyfiveys via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Washington, D.C., United States |
|---|---|
| Type | Monument |
| Built | 1848–1885 |
| Architect | Robert Mills, Thomas Lincoln Casey, Sr. |
| Height | Height: 169.05 m |
| Annual visitors (2020) | 83,585 |
| Coordinates | 38.8894° N, 77.0353° W |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Washington Monument is known for
The Washington Monument is a 555-foot (169 m) tall obelisk on the National Mall in Washington, D.
About Washington Monument
The Washington Monument is a 555-foot (169 m) tall obelisk on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., built to commemorate George Washington, a Founding Father of the United States and the nation's first president. Standing east of the Reflecting Pool and the Lincoln Memorial, the monument is made of bluestone gneiss for the foundation and of granite for the construction. The outside facing consists of three different kinds of white marble, as the building process was repeatedly interrupted.
History
The monument was built to honor George Washington, the first president of the United States. At Washington's death in 1799, he was the unchallenged public icon of U.S. military and civic patriotism.
Planning a visit? Visit the official Washington Monument 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 | 2.5 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 · 2.6 miles away
- Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) · Dulles, United States · 22.9 miles away
- Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) · Baltimore, United States · 27.9 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 Washington Monument?
The Washington Monument is a 555-foot (169 m) tall obelisk on the National Mall in Washington, D.
Where is Washington Monument located?
Washington Monument is in Washington, D.C., United States. Its coordinates are 38.8894° N, 77.0353° W.
How do I get to Washington Monument?
The nearest town is Washington, D.C., and the nearest airport is Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), about 2.5 miles away (straight line).
When was Washington Monument built?
Washington Monument was built 1848–1885.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Monument — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q178114 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- http://www.nps.gov/wamo/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.