Lincoln Memorial

At the western end of the National Mall in Washington, DC, the Lincoln Memorial honors Abraham Lincoln inside a marble structure modeled on a Greek temple. A 19-foot seated statue anchors the chamber, with the Gettysburg Address and Lincoln’s second inaugural address inscribed on the walls. Outside, 36 columns represent the states in the Union at the time of Lincoln’s death. The steps look across the Reflecting Pool toward the Washington Monument, and the memorial is illuminated at night. It is a place to pause, read and reflect as well as take in the view.

A memorial shaped like a Greek temple

Architect Henry Bacon designed the memorial in the style of the Parthenon. The building was constructed between 1914 and 1922 and dedicated on May 30, 1922, 57 years after Lincoln’s assassination. Its classical form was chosen to honor a president associated with preserving the Union and defending democracy.

The exterior has 36 columns, one for each state in the Union when Lincoln died in 1865. The states’ names appear in the frieze above them. The structure’s scale becomes clear as you approach along the National Mall, with the Reflecting Pool leading toward the raised steps and columns.

Inside the chamber

A seated marble Lincoln occupies the center of the main chamber. Sculptor Daniel Chester French created the statue, which stands 19 feet tall. The Gettysburg Address is inscribed on one wall, and Lincoln’s second inaugural address is on the other. Take time to read both: the words are part of the memorial’s interior, not just details to notice from a distance.

The chamber offers a quieter place to consider Lincoln’s presidency and the Civil War. The building’s classical design frames the statue and inscriptions, so the architecture and the words work together. Visitors can also look back out from the memorial toward the pool and Washington Monument.