Civics
1
The Washington Monument, a white obelisk on the National Mall, was built to honor George Washington and became one of the capital’s defining landmarks. Although plans for a national memorial began soon after the Revolutionary War and after Washington’s death in 1799, political conflict, limited funding, and disputes over design delayed the project for decades. Construction finally began in 1848 under a simplified version of Robert Mills’s design, but funding troubles and the Civil War caused long interruptions, leaving a visible change in marble color. Completed in 1884 and opened in 1888, it briefly stood as the tallest structure in the world and remains a major national symbol.
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Washington, District of Columbia · United States
