Lincoln Memorial is a beautiful monument in Washington, D.C., that honors Abraham Lincoln. It stands at the west end of the National Mall and ranks as one of the most handsome memorials of the 1900’s.
The massive marble building is 80 feet (24 meters) tall, 188 feet (57 meters) long, and 118 feet (36 meters) wide. It has a great hall surrounded by 36 Doric columns, which stand for the 36 states in the Union at the time of Lincoln’s death. The outside decorations show the names of the 48 states that existed when the building was dedicated. The hall has three sections. In the center section, which is open in front, sits a gigantic statue of Lincoln by Daniel Chester French. The statue is 19 feet (5.8 meters) tall. The side sections of the hall have tablets with the Gettysburg Address and the Second Inaugural Address, and two wall paintings by Jules Guerin. The paintings are titled Emancipation and Reunion.
The building stands on a high terrace that is reached by an imposing flight of steps. In front lies a long pool. The Potomac River can be seen from one side. The other side presents a view of the Washington Monument.
A national Lincoln memorial had been urged since 1867, but not until 1911 did Congress pass the law creating a Lincoln Memorial Commission. This commission chose the design by Henry Bacon and the site for the building. The cornerstone was laid on Feb. 12, 1915. The building was dedicated on May 30, 1922. Chief Justice William Howard Taft, as chairman of the commission, presented the memorial to President Warren G. Harding, who accepted it for the United States. Some criticized the design of the building. But it has been accepted as an expression of American ideals, and has inspired millions of visitors to Washington, D.C.
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