The Washington Monument, designed by Robert Mills and eventually completed by Thomas Casey and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, honors and memorializes George Washington at the center of the nation's capital. The structure was completed in two phases of construction, one private (1848-1854) and one public (1876-1884).

Washington DC is home to several world-famous memorials, but the Lincoln Memorial is arguably the most iconic and historically significant. Located at the western end of the National Mall, this Neoclassical structure resembles a Greek Doric temple and houses a massive, seated sculpture of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States. It is famous not only for its architectural grandeur but as a site of monumental civil rights history, most notably Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech delivered from its steps in 1963. Other highly famous memorials nearby include the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, known for its somber black granite wall, and the World War II Memorial, which features a grand fountain and stone pillars representing the states and territories. The Washington Monument, while an obelisk, serves as a primary memorial to the nation's first president and defines the city's skyline. Each of these sites is managed by the National Park Service and attracts millions of visitors annually who come to reflect on the nation's "founding fathers" and the significant sacrifices made throughout American history.