The Washington Monument is an obelisk of marble, granite, and sandstone on the Mall in Washington. It commemorates George Washington, general in the Revolutionary War and first President of the U.S. It is 555 m (167 m) high, the tallest stone structure and tallest obelisk in the world. When completed, it was the tallest structure in the world (surpassing Cologne Cathedral), and held that distinction until the Eiffel Tower in Paris was completed in 1889.

The Washington Monument was begun with private donations. The foundation stone was laid on July 4, 1848 (Independence Day). Construction stopped for many years in the 1850s. If you look very closely, you can see a line separating earlier and later construction, about one-third of the way up the monument. Construction resumed in 1879 with funds from Congress. It was completed in 1884, dedicated on February 22, 1885 (Washington's Birthday), and opened to the public in 1888.