Thomas Jefferson Memorial

The Jefferson Memorial was authorized in 1934 and dedicated in 1943, on Jefferson's 200th birthday. The memorial is modeled after Rome's Parthenon, with a dome that is 129 feet tall. The memorial features a bronze statue of Thomas Jefferson facing the White House, designed by American sculptor Rudolph Evans. The statue stands 19 feet tall, and is on a 6 foot tall granite pedestal.

The interior of the monument has carved quotations from the Declaration of Independence, including the most famous line, "We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, that to secure these rights governments are instituted among men. We...solemnly publish and declare, that these colonies are and of right ought to be free and independent states...And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine providence, we mutually pledge our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor." Around the dome of the rotunda is the quotation, “I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.”

The building is located on the Tidal Basin and is surrounded by Japanese cherry trees. In the spring, when the cherry blossoms are blooming, this is a popular place to sightsee and take a stroll, so parking is extremely scarce, but it is worth the effort to make it to D.C. during this time of year.