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Attractions

Washington Monument

Washington, DC · National MallFreeFree; $1 fee to reserve a timed ticket online

About

At 555 feet, this marble obelisk is the tallest thing in the capital, and the eye keeps finding it from every corner of the Mall. Completed in 1888, it wears a faint color seam about a third of the way up, where construction stalled for two decades and the new marble came from a different quarry. A timed-entry elevator carries you to the 500-foot observation level for a clean look out over the Lincoln Memorial, the Capitol, and the Tidal Basin; entry is free, though you will want to grab a same-day ticket at the lodge by morning or reserve ahead online.

Highlights

555-foot marble obelisk, the tallest structure in WashingtonFree timed-entry elevator to the 500-foot observation levelPanoramic views of the Lincoln Memorial, Capitol, and Tidal BasinVisible color seam marking a 20-year pause in constructionAnchors the National Mall, ringed by 50 American flags

Getting there

2 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20024

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