Lincoln Memorial

No other president got a memorial as well located as Lincoln - at the end og the National Mall you will see his giant memorial looking down along the National Mall towards the Washington Monument and the Capitol Hill.

The building is a limestone and marble structure with 36 huge columns - which is the number of states in the union at the time of Lincoln's death including the 11 southern states which had seceded. In the middle of the big hall is a giant statue of Lincoln sitting down facing out towards the National Mall. On the two walls on each side of Lincoln is the two of his most important speeches - The Gettysburg Address and his second inaugural address.

The first stone to the monument were laid down on Lincoln's birthday February 12 1914 and the monument were finish in 1922. After the monument was finished it has been the scene of different public gatherings most famous of them all is probably Martin Luther King I have a dream speech.

Today Lincoln is mainly remembered as the president who freed the slaves and saved the union. But this came at a cost - when he were elected he was clearly the president which divided the country more than any other president before or after. He was elected with less than 40 percent of the popular vote and he was not even on the ballot in 9 of the southern states - not that it mattered much given he only got just over 1 percent of the votes in Virginia where he actually were on the ballot.

The Civil War which followed his victory in the presidential election ended up costing more American lives than World War I and World War II put together. And the slaves were freed but they did not get anything resembling normal civil rights for another 100 years.

The Lincoln Memorial, dedicated in 1922, honors Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), the sixteenth President. The Lincoln Memorial, with its commanding view of the National Mall and Reflecting Pool, is one of the most iconic images of Washington.

Lincoln led the USA through the Civil War, proclaimed and end to slavery, and was assassinated at the war’s end. His Gettysburg Address is one of the most succinct, yet powerful, of speeches. A monument to Lincoln was considered as early as 1867. But, plans for the present monument did not take form until 1901. At that time, the location where the monument would be built, at the western end of the National Mall, was a swamp and an unpleasant locale. One Senator sought to block the building of the monument there, and insisted on locating it between the Capitol and Union Station or even in Gettysburg, PA. The Memorial was to come to serve a dual purpose, honoring Abraham Lincoln while leading the development and beautification of the western end of the National Mall. Eventually, it was built and stands as the western anchor of the National Mall envisioned by L’Enfant, with the Washington Monument in the center and the Capitol anchoring the eastern axis.

The most memorable feature the Lincoln Memorial is the imposing statue of Abraham Lincoln by sculptor Daniel Chester French. On his right side is the Gettysburg address and on his left, excerpts from the Second Inaugural Address. The memorial is especially powerful when illuminated at night.

The Lincoln Memorial has played a role in history as well as commemorating it. In 1939, Marian Anderson, an African-American classical singer, was barred from performing at Constitution Hall in Washington. In protest, an open-air concert at the Lincoln Memorial was arranged. The concert drew a large integrated audience in person and on the air. The Anderson concert had to have been on people’s minds in August 1963 when the Lincoln Memorial witnessed the culminating rally of the civil rights March on Washington. Martin Luther King, jr., delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech at the rally. A plaque on the Memorial steps commemorates the spot where King stood.

Exhibits about Lincoln and a gift and book shop are on the lower level of the Memorial.

Coworker and I decided to swing by during the evening. We thought we were so smart, but alas - everyone else seemed to have the same bright idea. Go visit at night though! It's awesome.

The statue is pretty giant. His foot is probably the length of half my body.

It's a beautiful spot though. On one wall, you've got his 2nd Inaugural Speech, and on the other is the Gettysburg Address. And when you turn away from President Lincoln's statue, you get a spectacular view of the Reflecting Pool, the Washington Monument, and even the capitol building right behind that.

Take caution: Slippery when wet.

Visiting the Lincoln Memorial was one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had! Standing beside something that large and just taking in everything he had ever accomplished in his life was amazing! I was fortunate enough to visit at night and day. It is even more amazing at night, and I would strongly advise visiting in both hours. I learned a lot while I was there.
-There is only one reason that Abraham Lincoln is sitting down. He always said that once he reunited the North and the South he could sit down to rest. Since he accomplished his goal, they made his statue to wear he was sitting down.
-His right hand is in the shape of and "A" in ASL(American Sign Language)and his left is in the shape of an "L". His father was deaf so Abraham Lincoln knew ASL.
-If there's more you want to know message me.