The Washington Monument is a pretty spectacular achievement. I’m very excited to share with you some interesting and fun Washington Monument facts for kids! It’s not a place that many people know much about or even know where or what it is. Most will probably be able to figure out that it’s in Washington D.C. based on the name, but we will definitely help you with that today. These fun facts about the Washington Monument will help you recognized and know what this cool place is. It seems like the only press the Washington Monument ever get’s is when it’s being destroyed in a movie! Let’s get started!
Washington Monument Facts For Kids
Fun Facts About The Washington Monument
Are you ready for some amazing and fun Washington Monument facts for kids!? Great, let’s get going!
Did you know that the Washington Monument is actually named after a person, and not necessarily the city it is in? Well, that’s a bit misleading, considering the city is named after the same person. That’s another story for another day.
In this section were going to go over a quick Q and A to cover some of the more burning questions about the Washington Monument. If your just looking for the juicy and interesting facts, you can scroll past this.
Where is the Washington Monument located?
2 15th St. NW, Washington, DC 20007, United States
How Big Or How Tall Is The Washington Monument
It’s pretty tall! It stretches up 555 feet 5 1/8 inches (169.29 meters)
How Old Is The Washington Monument, When Was It Built?
It took some time to build. It was built between the years of 1848 – 1884.
How Much Does The Washington Monument Weigh?
It Weighs a whopping 90,854 tons!
How Much Did The Washington Monument Cost To Build.?
It is estimated that the coast to build the Washington Monument was $1,187, 710.
Who Designed the Washington Monument?
Robert Mills
Washington Monument Facts For Kids
♦ Total area covered by the monument is 106.01 acres.
♦ The width of the base is a little over 55 feet wide and the walls at the base are 15 feet thick.
♦ You can see up to 30 miles away from the top of the Washington Monument, what a view!
♦ There is an elevator inside the Washington Monument, or you can take the 897 steps up to the top!
♦ It was actually delayed about half way through the construction process due to a lack of funds.
♦ Marble from Maryland and Massachusetts make up the outer walls, sandstone and marble were also used to construct the obelisk.
♦ At the 30 foot level you will see memorial stones, there are 193 total and they reach all the way up to the 450 foot level.
♦ On the aluminum cap stone you will find the words “Laus Deo” inscribed, this means “Praise be to God.”
♦ There are other things inscribed on the monument. “4th July, 1848. This Corner-Stone Laid of a Monument, by the People of the United States, to the memory of George Washington.” The other inscription you will find is “4th July, 1776. Declaration of Independence of the United States of America”
♦ The top of the structure is protected from lightning strikes by lightning rods at the top of the monument.
♦ The original elevator on the Washington Monument was powered by steam and took around 20 minutes to get to the top! The modern elevator takes only around a minute to reach the top.
♦ There are 2 large concrete rings at the Granite Plaza which is located at the base of the Washington Monument. One ring is 240 feet in diameter, the second is 147 feet.
♦ Standing at over 555 feet it is the worlds tallest stone structure. It’s also the worlds tallest Obelisk.
♦ Definition of Obelisk – a stone pillar, typically having a square or rectangular cross section and a pyramidal top, set up as a monument or landmark.
♦ By law, no other building in Washington DC is allowed to be taller than the 555 foot Washington Monument.
♦ What!?!?! The same trowel used to lay the cornerstone of the capitol in 1793 is the same trowel that was used to lay the cornerstone for the Washington Monument in 1848.
♦ The Washington Monument was the tallest structure in the world until the Eiffel Tower was built. You can click here for some Eiffel Tower Facts For Kids!
Washington Monument Video
Check out this great video about the Washington Monument!
Want To Visit The Washington Monument?
Washington Monument Travel Information
So, you have read about it, now you want to go see the Washington Monument in person! Good, that’s actually really exciting, I’m glad you want to check it out.
My advice would be to start out by checking out this site. It’s the website for the Washington Monument National Park Service.
There you can buy your tickets in advance and get all the information you need about when it’s open and when you can visit. Any closures or construction that may be going on should be displayed on the site as well.
You can wait in certain areas to be taken on a guided tour, where you will be shown everything there is to see and told just about everything there is to know.
Visiting the Washington Monument is a great idea and you will likely have a great time learning about it’s history, our nations capital’s history and seeing the amazing view!
Washington Monument Facts For Kids Conclusion
I’m so glad you stopped by today to learn some fun facts about the Washington Monument. I hoped that you learned a lot and that you are interested in going there to visit it someday.
We have some other great fact for kids articles you might find interesting! Check them out below!
Statue Of Liberty Facts For Kids
Abraham Lincoln Facts For Kids
Golden Gate Bridge Facts For Kids
Washington Monument Facts For Kids
Good information!
I will get the tickets to go to the wahsington monument on christmas i love this website yay so good and cool this comment was by a kid if wrong spelling i give this a like