Monumental Monuments

Today, I will be exploring the National Mall in the capital of the United States of America, Washington D.C. I will be focusing on the Washington Monument, a national symbol of power and independence. This post will also reflect on a reading by Margaret Farrar and associate her ideas with what we can see in Washington D.C.

The Washington Monument is one of the most famous structures in the nation's capital. This colossal obelisk is the world’s largest true stone obelisk, standing at 169 metres tall. The monument lies right at the centre of the country’s capital, surrounded by 56 United States flags, one for each of the US states and colonies. Standing tall at the end of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington’s National Mall, the obelisk is a display of power and governance. The structure was erected in honour of George Washington, who led the country to its independence, and later became the country’s first president. Upon completion, in 1884, the Washington Memorial was the tallest structure in the world. Currently, it remains the tallest structure in Washington.

Farrar explains that any expression of power and dominance is dependent on space and size. We can see this not only in Washington, but in Ancient Rome and throughout the world. The Washington monument is a monstrous structure that towers over its surroundings. Rome, for example, also possesses this quality, as many of the structures in the Roman Forum were of monumental size, surrounded by political, judicial and religious spaces. Scattered throughout the Roman Forum, and the rest of Rome, are several Egyptian Obelisks and columns. These structures were not unique to Rome, as they originated from Egypt, but many of them were seized by Roman Emperors and raised on Roman territory.

These distinct similarities to Rome can be seen, not only is Washington DC, but throughout the world. It is evident that Roman influence is highly present in Western architecture. Many of the cornerstone buildings in the original marble city have been nearly carbon copied throughout the United States, and the world. It is clear that many of the building styles and innovations have been incorporated in buildings today, be it structural columns or dome roofs, and will continue to be used from here on out.