How deep is the foundation of the Washington Monument?

The overall area of the foundations, including both the old and the new, were extended to 16,000 square feet and the depth to 36 feet, 10 inches.



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The original foundation below the walls was made of layered gneiss rubble, but without the massive stones used within the walls. Most of the gneiss stones used during the first phase were obtained from quarries in the upper Potomac River Valley.

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The Monument is an engineering marvel. The Washington Post recently pointed out an interesting fact in an on-going debate about the Monument as the world's tallest free-standing masonry structure. The Monument's marble blocks are held together by just gravity and friction, and no mortar was used in the process.

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“Whatever changes have occurred here would be much, much more subtle.” The monument sits about 15 to 20 feet above sea level and has sunk about 2 inches into the ground since it was completed in 1884.

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Rather than ascend to 600 feet as Mills had intended in the original plan, Casey was persuaded to make the height of the structure ten times the width of the base, meaning the optimal height for the Washington Monument was 555 feet.

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However, after Washington became president, he scrapped the plans for his memorial, as federal government funds were tight and he didn't want to use public money for the project.

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It took nearly 40 years to build a tribute to the first U.S. president. It was stalled by a lack of funds and, at one point, occupied by a political fringe group. Few structures represent the United States as powerfully as the Washington Monument.

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5 Things You Might Not Know About the Washington Monument
  • Plans for the monument began even before Washington was elected president. ...
  • The original design for the monument was much different than what ended up being built. ...
  • The monument was once the site of a hostage situation. ...
  • The monument has survived an earthquake.


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The Earthquake Damage occurred throughout the metropolitan Washington area, but the Washington Monument was among the significantly damaged structures. Check out the videos below to learn more about the earthquake, assessments and the repairs that followed.

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Description. Stretching approximately a third of a mile from end to end, the reflecting pool lies between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. Built in 1920 on marshland, the pool gradually sank, leaking into the surrounding land. In 2012, the pool was reconstructed.

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Construction of the monument took 40 years and cost $1,187,710. The monument is considered to be an engineering marvel. Mortar was not being used in the process, it's held together entirely by gravity and friction.

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The Washington Monument is taller than the Statue of Liberty. The Washington Monument is 555 feet tall, while the Statue of Liberty is only 305 feet tall.

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The Gateway Arch is one of the newest monuments in the National Park system, and at 630 feet, it is certainly the tallest! The Arch is 75 feet taller than the Washington Monument and over twice as tall as the Statue of Liberty.

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