Washington Monument Facts: 15 Things to Know Before You Visit

The Washington Monument has been the centerpiece of the National Mall since 1885 and is still the tallest structure in Washington, D.C. I’ve photographed it hundreds of times and rode the elevator to the top during its 2014 reopening. Here are 15 facts worth knowing about it, plus how tickets work today.

For more from up there, see my photos from the top of the Washington Monument.

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Washington Monument: Quick Facts

• Height: 554 ft 7 in (169 m), per a 2014 remeasurement by the National Geodetic Survey. The historic 1884 figure was 555 ft 5⅛ in.
• Steps to the top: 897
• Construction: 1848–1884 (paused 1854–1877 due to funding and the Civil War)
• Dedicated: February 21, 1885; opened to the public October 9, 1888
• Architect: Robert Mills
• Materials: Marble, granite, and bluestone gneiss (over 36,000 stones)
• Capstone tip: 100 oz of cast aluminum (rare and expensive in 1884)
• Tickets: Free (with a $1 service fee on recreation.gov)

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Washington Monument Facts

This monument has tons of history but here are 13 of the most interesting Washington Monument facts.

1. The Monument is built of free-standing masonry. There is no cement holding the blocks together.
2. The original elevator ride took 8–10 minutes. Today’s elevator covers the same trip in about 70 seconds.
3. There are 897 steps from the bottom of the Washington Monument to the observation deck near the top.
4. The stairs were closed to visitors going up in 1971 and going down in 1976 due to vandalism and safety concerns. Ranger-led stair tours have been intermittently offered since but are often suspended for years at a time. The elevator windows defog at certain points so visitors can briefly see the interior on the ride down.
5. The cap at the top of the Monument is made out of cast aluminum. It weighs about 100 oz (2.83 kg) and was a rare, expensive metal at the time.
6. D.C.’s height law generally limits buildings to about 160 feet, but the Washington Monument predates the law, which is why it is still the tallest structure in Washington, D.C.
7. The view from the observation deck reaches more than 30 miles on a clear day.
8. When the capstone was set in 1884, the Washington Monument became the tallest structure in the world at 555 feet. It held that title until 1889, when the Eiffel Tower was completed.
9. The marble changes color about 152 feet up. Construction halted from 1854 to 1877; when work resumed, the original Baltimore quarry’s marble was no longer available, so stone from a Massachusetts quarry was used instead, leaving a brown-streaked beltline you can still see today.
10. Three different types of stone went into the Monument, including marble from quarries in Maryland (north of Baltimore) and Massachusetts.
11. The Monument cost about $1,187,710 to build, roughly $35 million in today’s dollars.
12. The trowel used to lay the cornerstone of the Monument was the same trowel George Washington used to lay the cornerstone of the U.S. Capitol in 1793.
13. The original design by architect Robert Mills called for a 600-foot obelisk surrounded by a circular colonnade with statues of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. The colonnade was scrapped due to cost.
14. 50 American flags fly around the base of the Monument, one for each U.S. state.
15. The interior holds 193 commemorative stones. They were donated during construction by U.S. states, cities, foreign governments, and civic organizations. The elevator slows on the descent so riders can see them.

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How to Get Washington Monument Tickets

Tickets to the top of the Washington Monument are free. The only cost is a non-refundable $1 service fee per ticket on recreation.gov.

• 30 days out: Tickets release at 10:00 a.m. ET each day for visits exactly 30 days ahead. Reserve on recreation.gov.
• Day before: A second batch releases at 3:00 p.m. ET for next-day visits.
• Same day: Free walk-up tickets are distributed at the Washington Monument Lodge on 15th Street starting at 8:45 a.m., first-come first-served.
• Group reservations: Up to 55 tickets, online only, 30 days in advance.

The full visiting page on the National Park Service site has the latest hours and any operational changes.

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Why Was the Washington Monument Built?

The Washington Monument was built to honor George Washington’s military and civilian leadership during and after the American Revolution. The Continental Congress first proposed a monument in 1783, and Congress chose the obelisk design by architect Robert Mills in 1836. Construction began in 1848, paused for more than two decades during the Civil War era, and finally finished in 1884.

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Washington Monument: At a Glance

Address: 2 15th St NW, Washington, DC 20024
Height: 554 ft 7 in (169 m)
Width at base: 55 ft
Stones used: Over 36,000
Materials: Marble, granite, and bluestone gneiss
Steps to top: 897
Commemorative stones inside: 193
Flags around base: 50
Construction: 1848–1884
Dedicated: February 21, 1885
Architect: Robert Mills

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Washington Monument FAQ

How tall is the Washington Monument?

The Washington Monument is 554 feet 7 inches (about 169 meters) tall. That number comes from a 2014 remeasurement by the National Geodetic Survey using modern international standards. The historic figure quoted from its 1884 dedication was 555 feet 5⅛ inches.

How many steps are in the Washington Monument?

There are 897 steps from the bottom of the Washington Monument to the observation deck. The staircase has been closed to general visitors since 1976, so most people reach the top by elevator, which takes about 70 seconds.

Why is the Washington Monument two different colors?

The marble changes color about a third of the way up (roughly 152 feet) because construction was paused for more than 20 years. Work began in 1848 and stopped in 1854 due to funding shortages and the Civil War. When it resumed in 1877, the original Baltimore quarry’s marble was no longer available, so stone from a different quarry in Massachusetts was used. The two batches weathered differently, leaving a visible brown-streaked beltline.

How many flags are around the Washington Monument?

50 American flags fly in a circle around the base of the Washington Monument, one for each U.S. state.

Why is the Washington Monument an obelisk?

Architect Robert Mills’s original design included a circular colonnade at the base with statues of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, but that part was scrapped to cut costs. What was built was the central obelisk on its own. The obelisk form was chosen because Egyptian obelisks were a common 19th-century symbol of strength and timelessness, fitting for a memorial to George Washington.

Are Washington Monument tickets free?

Yes. Tickets to the top of the Washington Monument are free. The only charge is a $1 non-refundable service fee per ticket if you reserve through recreation.gov. Same-day walk-up tickets at the Washington Monument Lodge are completely free.

When was the Washington Monument built?

Construction started in 1848 and finished in 1884, when the capstone was set on December 6 of that year. The Monument was officially dedicated on February 21, 1885 and opened to the public on October 9, 1888 once the steam elevator was operational.

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Photos of the Washington Monument

I’ve photographed the Washington Monument hundreds of times. The reflections in the Tidal Basin and the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool are some of my favorite angles, and the obelisk is also a great anchor for night photography in D.C.

These facts have been confirmed by the Department of Interior.