La Cimetière National d'Arlington est la dernière demeure de de nombreuses personnes qui ont donné leurs vies afin de servir leur pays. Deux présidents - John F. Kennedy et William Howard Taft - y ont aussi enterrés. L'équipage de la navette spatiale Challenger, meneur des droits civique Medgar Evers, et star du cinéma Audie Murphy sont parmi ceux qu'on y honore. Le tombeau des Soldats Inconnus contient les restes des soldats non identifiés des Première et Seconde Guerres Mondiales et du Conflit Coréen. Il est surveillé 24 heures sur 24. La relève du garde est une cérémonie qui leur rend hommage. Arlington House, la maison de Robert E. Lee jusqu'au début de la guerre de Sécession, est située sur place. Des visiteurs peuvent se promener à travers la cimetière ou prendre un tramway du tourisme.
Situé au côté est du National Mall, le Mémorial Lincoln est un point de repère important de la ville. Il propose des vues magnifiques de la ville depuis plusieurs points d'observations. Le statue de Lincoln de presque six mètres de hauteur fait par Daniel Chester French, dans lequel on le voit assis en train de penser, à côté d'un texte sculpté du Discours de Gettysburg, permettant à un coup d'œil dans une période importante dans l'histoire des États-Unis. Les 36 colonnes doriques représentent le nombre des états dans l'Union lorsque Lincoln est mort. Il vaut mieux aller le soir quand il y a moins de monde.
La Galerie National comprend une collection extensive de l'art européen et américain dans deux bâtiments spectaculaires. Dans le grand Bâtiment Ouest néo-classique on montre des œuvres de Rembrandt, Rubens, et Gainsborough. La collection permanente comprend des œuvres du XIIIe au XXe siècle y compris une partie consacrée à l'Impressionnisme. Une gare au sous-sol où vous trouverez une boutique des cadeaux et des restaurants vous amènera au Bâtiment Est. Conçu par I.M. Pei, ce bâtiment triangulaire est un point de repère important de la ville où vous trouverez des œuvres d'art du XXe siècle ainsi que des expositions temporaires.
The symbol of the city of Washington DC, this 555-foot (169-meter) marble obelisk on the National Mall honors the nation's first president, George Washington. The cornerstone of the Washington Monument was laid in 1848, but it was fully constructed only in 1884. One can witness a visible change about one-third of the way up the obelisk marble - evidence of the onset of the Civil War. Construction was stalled during the war, and when the builders returned to the same quarry to complete the project afterward, enough time had passed to cause a significant change in the color. It is an emblem of the United States and an icon of the nation; the Washington Monument is a moving sight, its elegant form mirrored in the Reflecting Pool of the Lincoln Monument nearby.
Part of the original design for the federal city, this massive park stretches from the US Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial and around the Tidal Basin to the Jefferson Memorial. It has played host to many momentous, world-changing events throughout history including the 1963 March on Washington, the Million Man March and several presidential inaugurations. Today, the National Mall serves as a place for reflection, a memorial to American heroes, a symbol of freedom and a forum for the exercise of democracy. The Smithsonian museums, the Vietnam Memorial, the Reflecting Pool and the iconic Washington Monument are a few of the most well-known of the National Mall's many iconic sites. Certainly, any visit to Washington DC should start with a tour of the United States National Mall, aptly named "America's front yard."
Connu pour sa collection énorme des azalées (la fleur préféré de Washington), cet parque-jardin de 180 hectares propose beaucoup plus. Des fontaines, des piscines, et des espaces ouvertes sépare une série des jardins plus spécifiques au Arboretum National des États-Unis. La Collection National de Bonsaï, un cadeau du japon, est une expositions fascinante des arbres tout petits. Aussi à noter sont le jardin aquatique (rempli des lotus de toute variété) et le Jardin National des Herbes.
Throughout the Washington city, you will find traffic circles that are named in honor of war veterans. Scott Circle is located at the junction of Massachusetts Avenue and Rhode Island Avenue. Important offices like Australian and the Philippine's Embassies are located on this circle. The statute of United States Army general Winfield Scott has also been erected in the Circle.
Since its founding in 1935, the Wilderness Society has helped to protect 110 million acres of wild lands throughout the United States. It is no wonder then that a lover of wilderness like Ansel Adams would decide to leave 75 of his most beautiful landscape photographs to this crusading institution. The famous photographer's work can be seen in this permanent collection, along with several other pieces of his work that have been gifted to the gallery since Adams' death in 1984. The collection is housed in a stunning refurbished gallery that won the Merit Award for Interior Architecture from the American Institute of Architects in 2010.
Charles Sumner School Museum & Archives is a part of Charles Sumner School and was established in 1872. Along with the museum and archive, there is also a research room and an art gallery for exhibits. The museum showcases archives of the Public Schools of the District of Columbia. The grandiose features of the museum are a visual treat while they provide an extensive collection of books, manuscripts and archives from time immemorial.
Built in 1840, the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle is both a beautiful and historical place of worship. St. Matthew is the patron saint of civil servants, so it is no wonder than this cathedral is one of the most prominent cathedrals in the United States' capital. Each year, the special "Red Mass" is held for the Supreme Court justices, President's cabinet, members of Congress, and - sometimes - even the President himself. This "Red Mass" is so named for the color of the vestments worn by those holding the mass. This famous cathedral, which was designed by New York architect C. Grant La Farge, was also the place where President John F. Kennedy's funeral was held in 1963.
This neo-classical church, National City Christian Church, contains one of the largest pipe organs in Washington DC. Visitors can hear free organ recitals at 12:15pm Thursdays, February through December. The sanctuary, which rises 200 feet above Thomas Circle, was designed by famed architect John Russell Pope. Also on the premises is an International Gift Shop, which sells the crafts of artisans from Third World countries.