Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC, USA – photo, description, history, map
There are places in the world that are breathtaking. There are buildings that seem to be created with the help of nature, but not man. However, there are few such structures that at first sight make you feel pride for the country and for the people who live in it. One of them is the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC, a place that always reminds millions of people of their newfound freedom.
In the very heart of the United States of America – Washington, there is a memorial that is so reverently guarded by every inhabitant of the country. On the National Mall is a snow-white marble memorial, which was created in order to immortalize Abraham Lincoln (16th President of the United States). To this day, this monument to freedom, democracy and human rights is known not only to every American, but also to people outside of this country.
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History of creation
If you ask an American about which president he has the most respect and admiration for, you will certainly hear that this is Abraham Lincoln. Still, after all, the person who was able to liberate a democratic country from dirty slavery deserves the greatest respect. No wonder Lincoln is also one of the most famous US presidents in the world. All this served to bring the name of this great man into history and into the hearts of people, one of the most grandiose memorial complexes in the world was created.
Shortly after Lincoln was assassinated, the US government unanimously decided to erect a memorial in his honor. Such that it would not only be a decoration of the city and a place of memory of the work done by the 16th president, but would also reflect Lincoln's faith in the freedom of people under any circumstances.
The authorities approached the issue of building the complex very seriously: several dozen of the best architects and sculptors presented their work on the project of the future monument to the commission. The victory in this struggle was won by Daniel Chester and Henry Bacon – well-known sculptors in the USA. They approached the work very painstakingly, and the construction of the memorial lasted eight whole years (1914-1922). The grand opening of the monument was attended by more than 50,000 people, each of whom wanted to pay tribute to the memory of a great personality.
What is a memorial
Today, the memorial attracts crowds of tourists not only because of the history of the person in whose honor it was erected, but also because of the unusual structure of the structure itself. In appearance, the Lincoln Memorial resembles a Greek temple with its imposing columns and amazing white stone. Many even compare it with the Greek Parthenon.
This similarity is explained by the fact that along the perimeter of the entire memorial there are 36 marble columns that amaze with their snow-white sheen. Their number was not chosen by chance, because just so many states were part of the state during the time of Lincoln. That is why this amazing American “temple” is considered a special symbol of the United States of America, even though the number of states has increased today.
In the very center of this majestic building sits a statue of Abraham Lincoln himself. His gaze is fixed on the notorious Capitol, and in the whole pose one can feel the inner confidence and power that were inherent in the 16th president. The height of the statue almost reaches 6 meters, its weight is more than 150 tons. It is impossible not to note the magnificent work of the sculptors: it seems as if the statue consists of a monolith. In fact, it is assembled from many fairly large pieces of marble, but the joints are so skillfully disguised that even the most skeptical visitor cannot find them.
If you go inside the memorial, you can see two impressive marble slabs there. They are engraved with Lincoln's most significant speeches. Also here are the names of all the states of America carved in stone.
Interesting facts about the Lincoln Memorial
The extent to which Lincoln was respected by the people can be seen from the fact that it was at his memorial that events took place that significantly influenced history and people in general.
Martin Luther King delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech right next to this marble monument. About 300,000 people witnessed this historic event. They all heard magnificent words about the desire to live in a “democratic and free country where there is no place for racial discrimination”, which stirred up hope for the best in the hearts of thousands of people. It is all the more significant that this happened at the memorial of a man who gave people faith during his lifetime.
In America, many popular places are surrounded by a halo of mystery. The Lincoln Memorial is no exception, and is also affected by a couple of tales. According to the first of them, on the back of the head of the statue of the president was the face of Robert E. Lee, a general in the army of the Confederate States of America, who was watching his mansion, located in Arlington.
Another legend says that the position of the hands of the statue is not accidental: with the help of sign language, Lincoln demonstrates the first letters of his name. The left hand shows the letter “A”, while the right hand shows the letter “L”. This becomes very similar to the truth due to the fact that the sculptor who made the statue knew sign language, because. one of his sons was deaf. Other speculations say that in this unusual way, the creator of the statue wanted to express gratitude to Lincoln for the establishment of Gallaudet University.
The Lincoln Memorial took part in the filming of the popular film “Night at the Museum”, where the sculpture of the 16th President of the United States comes to life and helps the main characters.
There is not a single American in the United States who does not know or respect Abraham Lincoln. It is not surprising that on February 12, natives of the United States gather near this memorial complex, who, even after so many years, want to pay tribute to the memory of this great man on his birthday. However, even tourists who come to visit this place are unlikely to remain indifferent to such a majestic building. And they will certainly take away with them a piece of the freedom that Abraham Lincoln gave to so many people.
A few more interesting places in the USA: Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge and Times Square – we read on our website.