Washington, DC: Political and Cultural Centre of the USA

Nobody denies the fact that Washington is a political and cultural centre of the USA.
Founded on July 16, 1790, Washington DC is unique among American cities because it was
established by the Constitution of the United States to serve as the nation’s capital.
Washington is a one-industry city and its industry is government. Some people joke that it
doesn’t produce anything except very much scrap paper as every day 25 railway cars leave
Washington loaded with scrap paper. The city’s main output is laws and government
decisions.
George Washington, the first president and namesake of the city, chose the site and
appointed three commissioners to help prepare for the arrival of the new government in 1800.
After more than 200 years as the nation’s capital, Washington is brimming with a unique
history of its own. It has developed as a complex and layered city with multiple personalities.
As home to the federal government, it has attracted a diverse mix of government workers,
members of Congress from every state, foreign emissaries, lobbyists, petitioners and
protestors. While elected and appointed officials come and go giving the city its reputation as
a transient community, many of the city’s residents have called Washington home for multiple
generations. Their stories give Washington its distinctive character as both a national and local
city.
There is so much to see and do in Washington, DC that you can’t see it all in just one
visit. The nation’s capital is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States
and offers a wide range of attractions and activities. A well-rounded trip should include
exploring the region’s historic landmarks, parks and neighborhoods. The National Mall is the
central point of most sightseeing visits to Washington, DC. As it’s home to the city’s most
famous monuments, memorials and museums. The National Mall is not just a great place to
visit the world class museums and national landmarks, but also a gathering place to picnic and
attend outdoor festivals. Americans and visitors from all over the world have used the
expansive lawn as a site for protests and rallies. The impressive architecture and natural
beauty of the Mall make it a unique place that celebrates and preserves the nation’s history
and democracy.
The Washington Monument, the monument honoring the first president George
Washington, is the tallest structure in the nation's capital and towers 555 feet above the
National Mall. It’s considered to be the most prominent landmark in Washington, DC and the
centerpiece of the National Mall. Fifty flags surround the base of the Washington Monument
symbolizing the 50 states of America. An elevator takes visitors to the top to see a spectacular
view of Washington, DC including unique perspectives of the Lincoln Memorial, the White
House, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, and the Capitol Building. Sylvan Theater, an
outdoor amphitheater located near the base of the Washington Monument, is a popular venue
for a wide range of events including free concerts and live theatrical performances,
commemorative ceremonies, rallies and protests.
The Lincoln Memorial, an iconic landmark on the National Mall in Washington, DC, is
a tribute to President Abraham Lincoln, who fought to preserve the nation during the Civil
War, from 1861-1865. The Memorial has been the site of many famous speeches and events
since its dedication in 1922. The structure’s 36 columns represent the 36 states in the Union at
the time of Lincoln’s death. A 19-foot larger than life-size marble statue of Lincoln sits in the
center of the Memorial and the words of the Gettysburg Address and the Second Inaugural
Address are inscribed on the walls.
The U.S. Capitol Building, the meeting chambers for the Senate and the House of
Representatives, is one of the most recognizable historic buildings in Washington, DC, located
at the opposite end of the National Mall from the Washington Monument. With 540 rooms
divided among five levels, the U.S. Capitol is a massive structure. The ground floor is
allocated to congressional offices. The second floor holds the chambers of the House of
Representatives in the south wing and the Senate in the north wing. Under the dome in the
center of the Capitol Building is the Rotunda, a circular space that serves as a gallery of
paintings and sculpture of American historical figures and events. The third floor is where
visitors can watch the proceedings of Congress when in session. Additional offices and
machinery rooms occupy the fourth floor and the basement. Because of increased security the
Capitol Dome is open to the public for guided tours only. Visitors must obtain free tickets and
begin their tour at the Capitol Visitor Center. Free passes are required to see Congress in
action at the Senate and House Galleries.
The federal institution has multiple museums scattered throughout Washington, DC. Ten
of the buildings are located on the National Mall from 3rd to 14th Streets between
Constitution and Independence Avenues, within a radius of about one mile. There is so much
to see at the Smithsonian Museums that you cannot see it all in one day. The IMAX movie
theatres located inside three Smithsonian museums (the National Museum of Natural History,
the National Air and Space Museum) are especially popular among Washington’s visitors.
If you are an art-lover, you should visit the National Gallery of Art. This world-class art
museum displays one of the largest collections of masterpieces in the world including
paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, sculpture, and decorative arts from the 13th century
to the present. Because of its prime location on the National Mall, many people think the
National Gallery is a part of the Smithsonian. One more attraction here is the U.S. Botanic
Garden. This state-of-the-art indoor garden showcases approximately 4,000 seasonal, tropical
and subtropical plants.
Visitors from around the world also come to Washington DC to tour the White House,
the home and office of the U.S. President. Built between 1792 and 1800, the White House is
one of the oldest public buildings in the nation's capital and serves as a museum of American
history. There are 132 rooms on 6 levels. The decor includes a collection of fine and
decorative arts, such as historic paintings, sculpture, furniture, and china.
Washington’s national monuments (the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial,
the Jefferson Memorial and Vietnam Memorial, and the World War II Memorial etc) are truly
spectacular and “must see” attractions when visiting the nation’s capital. But they are spread
out throughout the city and can be difficult to see on foot. The best way to see the major
monuments is to take a guided tour. In this case, you won’t have to negotiate congested city
traffic and you will learn a lot of interesting facts about the national heroes.