Lincoln Memorial

The Building

The Lincoln Memorial was conceived in 1867, shortly after Lincoln’s death, but the process of choosing a site and a designer lagged, and the first stone was not laid until 1915. The classic, Greek-inspired building, was designed by Henry Bacon, who won the prestigious Gold Medal of the American Institute of Architects, an architect’s highest honor, for his design of the memorial. The Lincoln Memorial is constructed of Indiana limestone and Colorado Yule marble. The Memorial features 36 giant Doric columns, representing the 36 states of the Union at the time of Lincoln’s death.

Inside the Memorial

The centerpiece of the Lincoln Memorial is a giant sculpture of Lincoln seated, designed by Daniel Chester French, after Matthew Brady’s wartime photographs of the president. Lincoln is shown as weary and thoughtful, gazing out across the Reflecting Pool at the Washington Monument. The statute, which stands 19 feet tall and 19 feet across, was carved out of Georgia marble by the New York firm of Piccirilli Brothers. Lincoln’s one hand is clenched, showing his strength, whereas the other is open, showing his compassion. Along the interior walls of the Monument are inscribed the words of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, one of the most famous speeches in history, and his second inaugural address, which outlines Lincoln’s plan for reuniting the North and the South after the Civil War. Above the text are a series of murals by Jules Guerin, which show an angel, representing truth, freeing a slave, a reference to Lincoln’s work on the Emancipation Proclamation. A second mural depicts the unity of the north and the south.

History

Inside the Lincoln Memorial

The Lincoln Memorial has been the site of many historic events. It was here that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous I have a Dream speech in 1963. The steps of the memorial were also the site of operatic star Marian Anderson’s open-air concert in 1939, arranged by Eleanor Roosevelt after Ms. Anderson was refused permission to perform at Washington’s Constitution Hall because of the color of her skin.

Visiting the Lincoln Memorial

Visitors to Washington can visit the Lincoln Memorial between 8am and midnight every day except for December 25. The site is administered by the National Park Service, and park rangers are on hand to give talks about the memorial. There is no admission charge. A visitor’s center with restrooms, a bookstore, and exhibits about Lincoln’s life is adjacent to the Memorial. The Lincoln Memorial is one of the most visited attractions in Washington, with other four million visitors annually.

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