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The
Mall
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The
world's richest nation has a capital city
that was planned from the outset, and it shows.
Pierre-Charles L'Enfant did not get his own
way entirely with the city's design, but his
wide boulevards remain to form a centre that
is spacious and attractive. The Federal region
of Washington DC itself is quite small, but
the conurbation and its surrounding regions
offer much to attract tourists. The Mall is
a wide central avenue that links some of the
city's best known buildings and monuments |
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Washington
Monument
555 feet high and pointing sharply skywards, this
New World obelisk dominates the centre of the
city and sets the tone for continuing memorial
building in the surrounding localities. The Washington
Monument overlooks the Mall, facing west towards
the Capital while the Lincoln Memorial stands
in direct line eastwards. The cross is completed
by the White House to the north and the Jefferson
Memorial to the south… an imposing display
of a nation's pride. The monument is open for
the public to see its commanding views of the
city - but it is popular and you may need to obtain
your ticket (free) several hours, or even a whole
day, in advance.
The view along the Reflecting
Pool can be seen from the steps of the Lincoln
Memorial, which is much further away than
it looks in this picture.
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The Capitol
Standing proud at the opposite end of the Mall
is another of Washington's most familiar sights.
The Capital was an integral part of the earliest
design for the city, and it achieves its aim of
impressing the visitor and representing the pride
of a great nation. It is also a working environment
for the nation's lawmakers, so security around
the biulding is always conspicuous. That need
not put you off posing on the steps for that snapshot
for the family album.
Visiting parties enter from the
rear of the building... but be prepared for a
long wait in line.
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Smithsonian
Museums
Fine Art, American History, Sculpture, Natural History
or Air and Space - the Smithsonian museums cater
to a range of interests and all without charge.
With no admission fees it should be easy to drift
in and out of these exhibits, ranged on either side
of the Mall, but watch out for school parties and
other multiple influxes of tourists that may flood
the entrance security checks. The museums' scope
is enormous - from the earliest moments of the universe
to the hardware of recent space exploration. |
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touch a piece of the moon or brush alongside a T-Rex
skeleton; or you can gaze on the Hope diamond -
tinged with blue and as big as a large coin. Allow
plenty of time to do justice to your visit. |
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