Washington Monument

The Washington Monument rises about 555 feet from the center of the National Mall in Washington, DC, in the United States, at 15th Street NW. Built of marble, granite and bluestone gneiss and completed in 1884 after a long construction pause, it was the tallest structure in the world until the Eiffel Tower surpassed it. Visitors with timed tickets ride an elevator to the observation level at roughly 500 feet, where small windows on all four sides give views of the White House, the Capitol, the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials and the Potomac River. On the way down, the elevator descends slowly enough for passengers to glimpse commemorative stones set into the interior walls. At ground level, the monument sits on a gentle rise ringed by 50 flags, and the surrounding grounds are open for walking and picnicking without a ticket. Timed elevator tickets are free apart from a non-refundable $1 USD service fee per ticket through recreation.gov, released at 10am Eastern 30 days ahead, and they sell out quickly in peak season. Hours are typically 9am to 5pm with entries every half hour, and the monument is closed December 25 and July 4. A visit to the top takes 45 to 90 minutes including the wait. The best photo angles are from the Reflecting Pool side at sunrise, from the WWII Memorial looking east, and from the Tidal Basin on a clear evening. Crowds are heaviest from late morning to mid-afternoon in spring and summer; weekday mornings and cold-weather months are calmer. Because maintenance closures occur, confirm the status at nps.gov/wamo before planning a day around it.