Washington DC
Capital of the country, named after President George Washington, is described as the political capital of the world due to its status as the seat of the federal government of that country and numerous international institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
Among all its monuments and places of interest, these would be the essential ones on a visit to the city:
- The White House: It is the official residence and main workplace of the President of the United States.
- Capitol: It is located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. It houses the two chambers of the United States Congress, the north wing corresponds to the Senate and the south wing to the House of Representatives.
- Monument to George Washington: It is a large white obelisk located at the western end of the National Mall. It commemorates the first president and leader of the revolutionary Continental Army, which won the country's independence fighting against the British in the War of Independence. In 1884, the monument became the tallest structure in the world, until the Eiffel Tower was built in 1989. It is made of marble, granite, sandstone, steel and has a height of 169 meters and 14 centimeters.
- Monument to Abraham Lincoln: Located at one of the horizontal ends of the National Mall, it was created to honor the memory of President Abraham Lincoln. The building is shaped like a Greek Doric temple, and has a large sculpture of a seated Abraham Lincoln and inscriptions of two of Lincoln's well-known speeches. Many important speeches have taken place at this monument, including Martin Luther King's “I Have a Dream” speech. It is open to the public year-round from 8 am to midnight, except on December 25.
- Marine Corps War Memorial: Also called the Iwo Jima Memorial, it is a military commemorative statue located just outside Arlington National Cemetery. It is dedicated to all members of the United States Marine Corps who have died defending their country since 1775. The sculpture's design is based on the iconic photograph "Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima," taken during the Battle of Iwo Jima by Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal. It represents the marines and the sailor who raised the second flag on Mount Suribachi.
