Essay on The Washington Monument - 991 Words

The Washington Monument The most stunning monument in our capital is the Washington Monument. At 555 feet high, it is the tallest such monument in the world. It is an obelisk by shape, yet not a true obelisk because it is not carved out of a single stone. The monument was built at intervals between 1848 and 1885. It memorializes George Washingtons achievements and his devotion to principles and to his country. The Washington Monument has an interesting history. The idea of a monument celebrating George Washington was first considered by the Continental Congress in 1783. However, the next three decades brought neglect by Congress to take action. Finally, in 1833 the Washington National Monument Society was organized to forward the†¦show more content†¦History of the Obelisk The design of the Washington Monument is a common obelisk and can be found around the world. Its history begins in Egypt. There were a great many obelisks in Egypt, 13 were originally in Karnak where now only 5 stand. Possibly the best known obelisk in Egypt is at the Temple of Luxor in Thebe. This obelisk was raised by Ramses II. He is credited with raising over fourteen obelisks at Tanis alone. The obelisk at the Temple of Luxor was originally one of a pair of obelisks. This missing obelisks was later removed and brought to Paris where it stands in the Place de la Concorde. Many of the obelisks that were originally in Egypt are now in different parts of the world. It appears that these obelisks were the focus of conquerors of Egypt. For example, the Persian leader Cambyses dragged many of these obelisks to the ground and mutilated them. He especially targeted those obelisks which bore the inscriptions of cruel deeds that were performed against the Persians. The destruction of these obelisks by conquerors suggests that these enormous structures represented the power of Egyptian leaders and were very important to the Egyptians. Later conquerors removed many of these obelisks as souvenirs. Two great obelisks, which stood in Egypt for a millennium and a half, were brought to Rome to commemorate Julius Caesar. These became known as Cleopatras needles. Ironically, one is now in London andShow MoreRelatedEssay about The Washington Monument4283 Words   |  18 PagesThe Washington Monument The Washington Monument, a memorial structure designed and constructed in the nineteenth century, signifies an important tribute to the prestigious role and achievements of our nation’s founding father. Ideas for such a monument first arose in 1783, by which time â€Å"the fame George Washington, Commanding General and first President of the United States, was assured in the pantheon of statesmen of the world† (1). It was during this year that the ContinentalRead MoreThe Statue Of Liberty, The Washington Monument901 Words   |  4 Pages Monuments preserve a memory that serves as a reminder of a significant event or person. The Statue of Liberty, the Washington Monument, Bunker Hill Monument— these structures honor and immortalize remarkable occurrences in history, people, or concepts; and when it is time to construct a monument, many aspects of the established memorial need to be planned. Factors a group or agency should consider when memorializing an event or person and in creating a monument is the location, which should be inRead MoreDescriptive Essay On Lost And Found986 Words   |  4 Pagesexperienced once before. One of the most stressful times I have ever been a part of is when I lost my wallet in Washington D.C. It was this event that taught me a lesson about being responsible. As we arrived at the station, my family and I exited the train and headed to ground level. 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