Lincoln Memorial

“In this temple, as in the hearts of the people for whom he saved the Union, the memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever.” Beneath these words, the 16th President of the United States sits immortalized in marble as an enduring symbol of unity, strength, and wisdom.
Abraham Lincoln was assassinated just after the end of the Civil War on April 14, 1865. By March of 1867, Congress incorporated the Lincoln Monument Association to build a memorial to the slain 16th President. He was the 16th President of the United States and a titan of our national heritage. Lincoln grew up as a poor boy on the frontier. Reading books by candlelight, after long hours at school or on the farm, proved invaluable to young Lincoln. He later served as a store clerk, a river trader, and a “rail-splitter” used to hard physical labor. A plain speaker for plain folks, Lincoln blended his love of the written word with a strong work ethic and pursued a legal career, then a political one from the Illinois state legislature to the U.S. Congress. Here was a man who aspired to lead a nation.

Architect Henry Bacon modeled the Lincoln Memorial after the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. Bacon felt that a memorial to a man who defended democracy should echo the birthplace of democracy. The towering memorial is 190 foot long, 120 foot wide, 99 foot tall and constructed with a Colorado-Yule marble.

For almost a century, the Lincoln Memorial steps witnessed history-making moments such as ‘I Have a Dream’ speech and the Marion Anderson concert and the daily secular pilgrimage of thousands. The steps begin at the edge of the Reflecting Pool, and rise up to the former roadbed of the circular roadway that surrounded the memorial – now a plaza. The steps then continue upward toward the memorial entrance, pausing on its ascent in a series of platforms. Flanking the steps are two buttresses each crowned with an 11′ tall tripod carved from pink Tennessee marble.

The Lincoln Memorial interior is divided into three chambers (north, south, and central). Two rows of four Ionic columns separate the chambers. Gaze up at these 50 foot high columns. Wrap your arms around their five foot six inch diameter bases. The columns support the memorial ceiling, towering 60 feet above the floor. The glowing ceiling is framed by bronze girders, ornamented with laurel and oak leaves. Between the girders are panels of Alabama marble, saturated with paraffin to increase their translucency. Together these larger than life elements envelop the larger than life statue of Abraham Lincoln to create an atmosphere of quiet reflection and awe.

The Lincoln Memorial is located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

From: www.nps.gov