What is the aluminum pyramid on top of the Washington Monument?

Such was the case of the small but very expensive aluminum pyramid that was set atop the Washington Monument on its completion in 1884 to serve the functional purpose of a lightning rod. In retrospect, this can be considered a watershed event in the subsequent emergence of the modern massive aluminum industry.



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On a breezy December 6, 1884, Lt. Col. Casey supervised as the 3,300-pound capstone was brought out through one of the windows, hoisted to the scaffolding at the dizzying tip of the monument, and set in place. Casey then placed the 8.9-inch aluminum tip atop the capstone to the cheers of the crowd below.

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On a breezy December 6, 1884, the 36-year construction of the Washington Monument was completed with the placing of an 8.9 inch tall, 100-ounce pyramid of solid aluminum atop the capstone.

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It is unsurprising that the Washington Monument, similar to architecture all around the capital, was built with marble. What may surprise you is that the capstone resting on the top of the monument is made of a $225 pyramid of aluminum.

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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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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 Washington Monument Looks Like an Obelisk Because of Egyptomania. In a technical sense, the Washington Monument isn't an obelisk, because it isn't made from a single piece of stone. That fact makes it no less impressive. Stretching 555 feet in the air, the Washington Monument is the tallest thing in the city.

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Even the Washington Monument is a Rubenstein project. He donated $7.5 million to help the National Park Service repair the monument after it was damaged by an earthquake in 2010.

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The two sections closely resembled each other at first, but time, wind, rain, and erosion have caused the marble sections to weather differently, thereby producing the difference in color. A third type of marble is also visible at the dividing line between the two main phases of construction.

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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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The Statue of Unity, which depicts Indian politician and independence reformer Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, is now the highest in the world.

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Standing east of the Reflecting Pool and the Lincoln Memorial, the monument, made of marble, granite, and bluestone gneiss, is both the world's tallest predominantly stone structure and the world's tallest obelisk, standing 554 feet 711/32 inches (169.046 m) tall, according to the U.S. Geodetic Survey measurements in ...

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