The Lincoln Memorial was built to honor the 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. The memorial is located on the western end of the National Mall in Washington, DC. Each year, more than seven million people visit the Lincoln Memorial. The structure is one of the most recognizable memorials in the world, and is known for being a beacon of hope and inspiration.
Although plans for the memorial began shortly after Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, the monument took more than 50 years for it to be constructed and open to the public. Construction was slowed by World War I and the memorial didn’t open until 1922.
The memorial is modeled after the Parthenon, a Greek Doric temple. Architect Henry Bacon stated, “a memorial to the man who defended the democracy should be modeled after a structure from the birthplace of democracy.” Other symbols in the monument represent the union, peace, justice, freedom, and other ideals important to Lincoln.
The Lincoln Memorial has been the backdrop for many key points in American history. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s I Have a Dream speech took place on the monuments steps. The memorial was also the site of the Inaugural Celebration for America’s first black President of the United States, Barack Obama.
The monument is maintained by the National Park Service. It was one of the first monuments to be included in the National Register of Historic Places.
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10 Things You Didn't Know About the Lincoln Memorial
- John Russell Pope originally planned for the Lincoln Memorial to modeled after the Egyptian pyramids, rather than the Greek temple style we see today. He also proposed a traditional Mayan temple or a Mesopotamian ziggurat made up of 8 layers, each one smaller than the next, with Lincoln on top.
- Lincoln’s son, Robert Todd Lincoln, attended the dedication. He was Lincoln’s only surviving son and was 78 years old at the time.
- Although Lincoln was known as the Great Emancipator, the dedication ceremony was segregated.
- The Reflection Pool is actually part of the Lincoln Memorial. The pool, tucked between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, is formally known as the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
- The 36 columns that make up the memorial symbolize the 36 states that were in the Union during Lincoln’s lifetime.
- Even the building materials are symbolic. The materials were brought in from Colorado, Indiana, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia to help portray the unity of the nation.
- The memorial includes two of Lincoln’s most famous speeches. Both the Gettysburg Address and the second Inaugural Address are engraved into the wall on either side of Lincoln’s statue.
- There are also two murals inside that commemorate Lincoln’s ideals and core principles. The murals depict freedom, liberty, immorality, justice, law, unity, fraternity, and charity.
- An inscription etched into the steps of the Lincoln Memorial marks where Martin Luther King, Jr. stood to give his I Have a Dream speech.
- Lincoln was interested in furthering the study of sign language. He signed the charter for Gallaudet University, a school for the deaf, to be constructed. A nod to this can be seen on the massive sculpture of Lincoln inside of the memorial. His hands seem to be signing the letters A and L.
Visiting the Lincoln Memorial
The memorial is open 24 hours, 365 days a year.
Physical Address:
2 Lincoln Memorial Cir NW
Washington, DC 20002
Nearest Metro Stations:
Foggy Bottom (23rd St.& I St.NW) & Smithsonian (12th St. & Independence Ave.)
What is there to do Nearby?
The Lincoln Memorial is located in the heart of historical row known as the National Mall. Nearby you’ll find:
- Vietnam Veterans Memorial
- Vietnam Women’s Memorial
- Korean War Veterans Memorial
- Constitution Gardens
- World War II Memorial
- Martin Luther King, Jr Memorial
- Washington Monument
- Smithsonian Museums
- US Botanic Gardens
- United States Capitol
- The White House
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