10 Entertaining and Eye-Opening Fun Facts About the Washington Monument You Need to Know!

1. Two-tone Marble Marvel

Evidently, the Washington Monument's architect had a marble-ous sense of humor, playing a 50-year-long game of "spot the difference": The monument, standing tall at 555 feet, was completed nearly half a century after its inception due to financial constraints and now proudly flaunts two distinct types of marble. While it may sport an unintentional patchwork aesthetic, this esteemed stone beacon pays homage to none other than the esteemed first president of the United States. In 2011, Mother Earth tried her hand at the game by adding some cracks during the Virginia earthquake, but these were quickly repaired to maintain our stoic, marble-guarded history.
Source => usgs.gov

2. Stubbed Toe Struggles

When George Washington stubbed his toe on a stack of war bonds: Inspired by a desire to honor the nation's founding father, the Washington Monument faced a series of challenges during its construction, including funding shortages, design disagreements, power struggles within the Washington National Monument Society, and the Civil War. What was initially planned as a grand circular colonnaded structure surrounding a 500-foot obelisk was ultimately whittled down to a simpler, yet still stunning obelisk completed in 1884, now standing tall as a beloved landmark on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

Discover the unique symbolism behind the stunning architecture of the Lincoln Memorial, featuring majestic columns representing Union States crafted from Colorado Yule marble. You won't believe the incredible detail!

=> Fun Facts about The-Lincoln-Memorial

3. Earthquake Shake-up

Contrary to popular belief, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson isn't the only thing capable of causing a crack or two: The Washington Monument had its own crumbling moment in 2011, thanks to a 5.8 magnitude earthquake! This not-so-idyllic shakedown created fissures in the marble façade and led to the monument's temporary closure until 2014 while it was brought back to its former glory.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

4. Hidden Treasure Stairwell

Step right up and witness a monument filled with more hidden treasures than Aladdin's cave: The Washington Monument houses 192 memorial stones within its stairwell walls, gifted by diverse entities such as all 50 states, private organizations, and even the Cherokee Nation, with the first stone dedicated to Alabama in 1849 and the last, made of solid jade, to Alaska in 1982. A notorious marble slab from the Temple of Concord in Rome, gifted by Pope Pius IX, was swiped by the anti-Catholic "Know-Nothing" Party in 1854, believed destroyed, but fear not, the Vatican provided a replica in 1982, and now, all these artifacts can be seen on ranger-led tours, as long as you've mastered the art of behaving!
Source => living-in-washingtondc.com

5. Egyptian-Style Fiesta

Ever wondered what would happen if the ancient Egyptians met George Washington at a party and decided to throw him an architectural fiesta? Well, grab your powdered wigs and party like it's 1799: The Washington Monument is a 555 feet, 5 1/8 inches tall obelisk, paying homage to America's first president, George Washington, and happens to be both the world's tallest stone structure and the tallest obelisk.
Source => washingtonpost.com

6. Horseless Monument

Once upon a time, architects dreamed of George Washington riding a horse atop his mightiest of stone pedestals, but alas, budgets and engineering gave us the humble pyramid cap we know today: The Washington Monument was originally designed to feature a majestic statue of George himself on its peak, but practicality turned it into a simpler pyramidion, resulting in an entirely stone structure composed of over 36,000 stones and only relying on steel beams to support its elevator shaft.
Source => nps.gov

7. Heavy Metal Apex

Feeling rather "punny," the Washington Monument decided to cast itself in a "heavy metal" role by having its glorious apex made of aluminum: This 3,300-pound crown jewel, the largest piece of its kind in its day, sports inscriptions in Snell Roundhand font, one of which, "Laus Deo" or "Praise be to God" in Latin, remained hidden beneath a gold-plated copper band until said band's removal in 2013, only to expose sadly damaged and illegible inscriptions.
Source => ourlostfounding.com

8. Time Capsule Surprises

Once upon two time capsules, hidden like buried treasure by pirates of the past: The renovations of Baltimore's Washington Monument unveiled two historical surprises - the gifts that kept on giving (a time-giving, that is), from secretive souls of 1815 and 1915. Inside these memory vaults were majestic mementos such as newspapers and beautifully bundled copies of the Declaration of Independence as well as commemorative artifacts like photographs of said declaration and a portrait of Francis Scott Key, the grand author of the "Star-Spangled Banner."
Source => cnn.com

9. Unrelated Land Ownership

In a classic tale of mistaken identity, the Washington Monument secretly wishes it could claim familial ties to George Washington; alas, it was not built on land owned by his adopted son: The magnificent obelisk, honoring America's first president, was designed by Robert Mills and constructed between 1848 and 1884, while George Washington Parke Custis, the adopted son, built the nearby Arlington House, filled with Washington's belongings and now known as the Robert E. Lee Memorial.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

10. Lightning Magnet Monument

When Zeus-style party time rolls around in Washington D.C., there's one guest who's constantly shocked – and it's not the politicians: The Washington Monument is struck by lightning one to four times per year, with a modern lightning protection system installed after its 2011 renovation to prevent any damage.
Source => washingtonpost.com