The Architecture of Washington D.C.

Established by the Constitution of the United States of America, Washington, D.C. has an illustrious history. The site along the Potomac and Anacostia rivers was chosen by George Washington as a compromise after debates between the northern and southern states. Then in 1791 Pierre Charles L'Enfant, a Frenchman who had participated in the American Revolutionary War, created the original design for the city with help from surveyors Benjamin Banneker and Andrew Ellicott. L'Enfant chose the location of the Capital Building and the White House, as well placing the many avenues that would be named for the states. He envisioned an open area with lots of space, very much in the style of Paris. Like Paris, a height restriction has since been placed on buildings, creating a vast and sprawling city in which important buildings stand out.

However, there were problems with L'Enfant's vision, and 100 years later his open spaces had been taken over by a train station and his clean lines had been lost. So in 1901 the McMillan Commission began a new plan. They cleared and straightened the National Mall, which now spreads from the Capital Building to the Potomac and holds the Washington Monument, completed in 1884. They also chose the site for the Lincoln Memorial, which was completed in 1922. The Mall is surrounded by the Smithsonian buildings, the first of which-The Castle-was built in 1855. The most popular Smithsonian building, The National Museum of American History, was opened to the public in 1964 as the sixth completed museum.

Memorials and Monuments

There are many buildings, monuments and memorials that make the District of Columbia a popular destination for tourists. The White House and the Capital Building, on which construction began in 1792 and 1793 respectively, have gone through many renovations and reconstructions. Both have suffered fires, and the White House has been redone by many of the presidents in residence. Continuing in chronological order, many other monuments have been added. The Washington Monument, in the shape of an Egyptian obelisk, was completed in 1884. The Jefferson Memorial was completed in 1943. In 1982 the wall commemorating the Vietnam Veterans was completed, and the Vietnam Memorial Statue was added in 1984. The latest addition has been the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, completed in 1997.

National Cherry Blossom Festival

Another big tourist draw is the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which takes place each April when the Japanese cherry trees are in full bloom. They were first presented as a gift from Tokyo in 1912.

In the 200 plus years since its beginning in a rural area between Maryland and Virginia, Washington, D.C. has undergone many expansions. Each one has added to the colorful history that has shaped this beautiful city and the country it governs.