Washington Monument - Washington DC

When I turned my back on the Capitol Building, there it was at the end of the National Mall, the Washington Monument! Standing taller than any other structure in DC, the monument was so regal looking, playing the guard to the city! In fact the Monument is the world's tallest stone structure, and tallest obleisk, standing at over 555 feet! Although there are taller monuments, they are neither all stone or true obleisks.

As we walked up to the Monument, the sight kept getting better and better! Looks can be deceiving because it got more massive than I expected as we got closer! It was beautiful! Some of you many not know that the color changed about half way up the monument. This was due to a lack of money, and also the Civil War. When they resumed construction, they couldn't find the original stones, so they had to settle with a slight change. Personally, I think it adds character, and it will give visitors a story to tell.

If you are looking for a great vantage point of the city, you can go up to the top of the Washington Monument! Tickets are available for purchase only the day you are planning on going to the top, but you want to be sure to buy your tickets early in the morning because when they reach capacity for the day, they stop selling tickets. Though these tickets are free they are usually sold out by late morning. There is another high vantage point of the city in the Old Post Office Pavillion, and these tickets are easier to come by.

Tips on the Wasington Monument:
-The Washington Monument isn't ever too crowded with tourists. Being this structure is outdoors, it is a "come as you will" structure, so people are scattered.