Lincoln Memorial

The Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., is a monument honoring the 16th U.S. president, Abraham Lincoln, dedicated in 1922. Architect Henry Bacon's Greek-style temple rests on deep concrete foundations that stabilize the soft ground of the former swampland along the Potomac. Its 36 Doric columns represent the states that made up the Union during Lincoln's time in office, while the names of states admitted later are inscribed on the roof and floor. Inside, you'll find a 19-foot marble statue of a seated Lincoln, made up of 28 separate pieces and created by Daniel Chester French. Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address and the famous Gettysburg Address are carved into the stone walls.

The site is also well known historically as a central location of the civil rights movement. It was here in 1963 that Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his legendary "I Have a Dream" speech, after a march of more than 250,000 people had made its way to the memorial. Earlier, in 1939, the opera singer Marian Anderson gave a concert on the steps of the monument after being denied a performance at another venue because of her race. The structure is also a defining symbol of the nation, appearing on the back of the five-dollar bill as well as on historic postage stamps.