The U.S. Capitol Building
The U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. was begun in 1793, the cornerstone of which was laid by George Washington. The central building was finished in 1800, one wing in 1811, and was burned by the British in 1814. It ranks today among the noblest architectural objects in the world, its crowning glory being the Statue of Freedom which surmounts its dome 307 ft. above the esplanade.
At one end is the U.S. Senate, at the other, the U.S. House of Representatives, the combined duties of whose members represent the greatest governmental undertaking in the world. It is 751 ft. in length and 350 ft. in width, and covers an area of three and one-half acres. On its east central portico the oath of office is administered to each succeeding President by the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court before a multitude of spectators.
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The Washington Monument
The Washington Monument, erected to the memory of George Washington, was begun in 1848 and dedicated in 1885. It is 555 ft. high, 55 ft. square, and 15 ft. thick at the base, tapering to 34 ft. square at the beginning of the cap stone. Its weight is 81,120 tons. Total cost, $1,275,000. The ascent may be made either by elevator or 900 steps around the sides. Memorial stones presented by several States and Territories of the U.S., foreign governments, societies, orders, and individuals are inserted in the face of the interior walls. Seen by night from across the waters of the Placid Potomac, the view is imposing and inspiring.
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