Washington Monument

Explore DC and check out one of the most iconic landmarks in the region – the Washington Monument. Officially completed in 1884, the Washington Monument stands at just over 555 feet, making it the largest stone structure in the world.

It's comprised of marble, granite, and bluestone gneiss. You'll find the Washington Monument just west of the National Mall – visit from nearby Rockville or Sterling.

While construction of the Washington Monument was officially completed in 1884, it actually began in 1848. Construction was put to a stand still from 1854 to 1877 due to a lack of funding and the raging violence of the American Civil War.

You can see a visible difference in coloring on the monument, something of a line of demarcation from when construction was halted to it's re-start.