Jefferson Memorial

Introduction

The Thomas Jefferson Memorial can be found in the US capital, Washington D. C., specifically in West Potomac Park, which lies very close to the National Mall, the large park that brings together Washington D. C. 's most important monuments.

A little bit of history

This memorial is dedicated to the third President of the United States of America, Thomas Jefferson, and the initiative behind building this monument came from President Roosevelt, whose own commemorative memorial is situated very close by - it's the next one on the left.

Thomas Jefferson is not only known for being the 3rd President of the United States (his mandate was from 1801 until 1809), but also for being one of the American Founding Fathers, a term used to describe the signers of the embossed version of the United States Declaration of Independence in 1776. In fact, Jefferson was considered to be the main author of this history-defining document.

The monument

From my point of view, the building looks like a Greek temple: it is a building with a large dome, with an open-plan main facade with several columns and some stairs. It's of a Neoclassical style, is built with different types of marble, and was designed by John Russell Pope. It was criticised quite a bit for being another "typical" building of the modern era with this Greek temple image.

Inside of the memorial, there is a statue of President Jefferson that measures six metres tall, depicting him standing up looking straight ahead. This statue was sculpted by Rudulph Evans.

On the inner walls, you will find four of Jefferson's texts inscribed onto them, which are quite long, but I will leave photos of the inscriptions to that you can read them at your own leisure. One of them is taken from the Declaration of Independence, and another from the Statute of Establishing Religious Freedom.

The memorial is on the U. S. National Register of Historic Places and is managed by the National Park Service.

On the other hand, you can see the interior of the dome, which is rather impressive, and around it, there is an inscription that reads:

"I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man".

Additional information about the site

This memorial is not as high profile as that of President Lincoln, but it has been featured in some films, video games and in the TV series, The Simpsons. In fact, I know about this monument thanks to one episode of the aforementioned series because Lisa goes to Washington D. C. and visits the memorial before "speaking" to the president.

Besides, for it not being in the National Mall, it is somewhat overlooked and forgotten about, but this park hosts several events throughout the year, the most important of these being the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

The area that the Jefferson Memorial sits in has a large field of Japanese cherry trees, which were actually a gift from Japan, and when they bloom, it's one of the most important times of the year in the North American capital. It's very common to have a picnic there and partake in other activities, whilst enjoying these beautiful, yet somewhat unusual, trees, which almost look like pink cotton trees. In fact, one of the typical photos that you will see of Washington D. C. is one of the cherry blossom with the Jefferson Memorial in the middle. It's a spectacle, that's for sure, and is something that you have to see at least once in your life (the Festival usually begins at the end of March and comes to an end in the middle of April).

This is one of my favourite areas in Washington D. C., not only for how beautiful it is, but also because it's a little bit further away from the hustle and bustle of the city, allowing you to peacefully enjoy the views of the National Mall, relax and breathe some fresh air.

I didn't mention it earlier, but this architectural marvel is free to visit, both its surroundings and entering the interior of the building, just like the overwhelming majority of monuments and museums here in Washington D. C..

The memorial is open for visitors 24 hours a day, every day of the week. However, it's important to bear in mind that the staff (who are actually the park rangers) are only available between 9:30am and midnight to answer any questions that you may have and give you information. From 10am until 11pm, they provide interactive programs every hour.

How to get there

To get to the memorial, the best thing is to travel by bike, as it is somewhat distant from the National Mall. You can also travel there on the city's metro system, alighting at the stop, "Smithsonian", but, from there, you would have to walk for a further 15 to 20 minutes until you reach the monument by the Tidal Basin, on the banks on the Potomac River.

The walk along the banks of the Potomac is very pleasant, looking at both the Jefferson Memorial and the Washington Monument (the large obelisk in the centre of the National Mall) from a distance. But, if you are lucky enough to visit when the cherry trees are blossoming, it will be one of the best walks you've ever taken. Ah, and if you look straight ahead from the Jefferson Memorial, you will see a white building that is none other than the White House.