US Historical monuments to be proud of
All over the country, there is an abundance of historical monuments that remind us of the turbulent past of the United States. Some of them are architectural wonders, others are simple and almost unknown, yet all of them have a great importance for the American heritage. Historical monuments are much more than touristic attractions, though they attract a countless number of people who come to take a picture on these famous sites. Depending on where you live or which part of the American history is your favorite, here are the most famous historical monuments in the US that every American should be proud of.
Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia
Arlington national cemetery is a military cemetery of US located in the state of Virginia. Sine 1868, the Arlington cemetery has remained as the central point of national Memorial Day commemorations in the United States. It encompasses 253 hectares of land and includes 400,000 graves. The national cemetery also has around 5000 burials each year. Moreover, Arlington cemetery is the final resting place of president John F Kennedy and president William Howard Taft.
Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C.
The neoclassical monument was built between 1914 and 1922, and it commemorates the great president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. It’s located in Washington D.C. and was designed by the American architect Henry Bacon. The historic monument includes a majestic 19 feet high sculpture of Abraham Lincoln. The sculpture was made by Georgia marble, and the national monument is under the protection of U.S. national park service. The monument is also surrounded by 36 enormous columns. The columns around the monument represent the 36 states in the Union during last period of Abraham Lincoln. On the South wall of the monument, there is a mural that depicts the angel of truth freeing a slave. The historical monument is the site where Martin Luther King delivered the famous ” I have a dream” speech.
Washington Monument, Washington D.C.
Washington Monument is an iconic architectural structure and a historical monument built in the honor of the first American President George Washington. With a height almost 555 feet and 897 steps to the top, Washington Monument is the tallest stone structure in the world. The construction of the monuments started in 1854 but the lack of funds and American civil war postponed the final realization of the project and it was finally finished in 1884. The interior of the historical monument includes a collection of commemorative stones from different countries around the world. Each year more than half a million of visitor come to see this grandeur structure and learn more about the country’s past.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial, South Dakota
Mount Rushmore is one of the most photographed and most visited historical monuments in the US. It represents four giant sculptures of the heads of four influential U.S presidents including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. This work of art was carved on the granite face of Mount Rushmore and it’s one of the most important monuments in the country. The noses of the sculptures on Mount Rushmore are 20 feet long and the mouths are 18 feet wide. It took fourteen years for the monument to be finished.
Statue of Liberty, New York
The colossal Statue of Liberty is a gift from France to the US to commemorate the declaration of American independence. It was designed by the French sculptor Frederic Augustine Bartholdi. It represents the Roman goddess of freedom, Libertas. The statue is made out of copper and that’s why it looks green due to oxidation. There are 354 steps to reach the crown of the statue that has 25 windows that provide panoramic views of the surrounding areas.