Millions of Americans have flocked to this spot over the years to pay their respects to the man who struggled to unite his country through the American Civil War and bring an end to years of slavery. When you visit you’ll see many standing at the foot of the 5.8-metre-tall statue of Abraham Lincoln, who is sitting statesmanlike in his chair and gazing fixedly across the capital.
The memorial has been the backdrop to countless significant historic events, as well as a host of great speeches that echo down the ages. It was on these steps that Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. proclaimed those immortal words “I have a dream” to the gathered crowds back in the 1960s. In more recent times, it was here where President-Elect Barack Obama gave his pre-inaugural address.
Climb up the stairs from the Reflecting Pool and you’ll enter the memorial’s interior, which is split into three chambers. On either side of Lincoln’s statue are the north and side chambers, each inscribed with passages from the Gettysburg Address and his Second Inaugural Address. Above them, you’ll see beautiful murals depicting American ideals of liberty and justice.
The memorial is rich in symbolism. Count the 36 fluted Doric columns around the perimeter which stand for all the states in the Union when Lincoln came to the White House. Inscribed on the attic friezes you can read the names of all 48 states that existed when the memorial was completed in 1922.
The Lincoln Memorial is a captivating sight, especially at night when its dazzlingly illuminated façade makes it a picture-perfect spot for photographers. Open 24 hours a day, rangers are available to help you from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., with tours on offer at the top of every hour.
