Washington Monument | |
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Height | 169m |
Floors | 0 |
Year | 1848 |
City | Washington D.C. |
The Washington Monument is an obelisk on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., Constructed to commemorate George Washington, once commander-in-chief of the Continental Army (1775--1784) in the American Revolutionary War and the first President of the United States (1789--1797).
Located almost due east of the Reflecting Pool and the Lincoln Memorial, the monument, made of marble, granite, and bluestone gneiss, is both the world's tallest predominantly stone structure and the world's tallest obelisk, standing 554 ft 7 11?32 inches (169.046 m) tall according to the U.S. National Geodetic Survey (measured 2013--14) or 555 ft 5 1?8 inches (169.294 m) tall according to the National Park Service (measured 1884). It's the tallest monumental column in the world if all are measured above their pedestrian entrances. Overtaking the Cologne Cathedral, it was the tallest structure in the world between 1884 and 1889, and it had been overtaken by the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Construction of the monument began in 1848 and was stopped for a period of 23 years, from 1854 to 1877 because of a lack of capital, a battle for control within the Washington National Monument Society, and the American Civil War. Although the stone structure was completed in 1884, inner ironwork, the knoll, and installation of memorial stones weren't completed until 1888. A difference in shading of the marble, visible approximately 150 ft (46 m) or 27% up, shows where construction was halted and later resumed with marble from a different source. The original design was by Robert Mills (1781--1855) of South Carolina, but he did not include his proposed colonnade because of a lack of funds, proceeding only with a bare obelisk. The cornerstone was laid on July 4, 1848; the first stone was set atop the unfinished stump on August 7, 1880; the capstone was set on December 6, 1884; the completed monument was dedicated on February 21, 1885; and officially opened October 9, 1888. The Washington Monument is a hollow Egyptian style stone obelisk with a 500-foot (152.4 m) tall column surmounted by a 55-foot (16.8 m) tall pyramidion. Its walls are 15 feet (4.6 m) thick at its base and 1 1?2 ft (0.46 m) thick at their top. The marble pyramidion has thin walls only 7 inches (18 cm) thick supported by six arches, two between opposite walls which cross at the center of the pyramidion and four smaller corner arches.Big Ben | |
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Height | 96m |
Floors | 0 |
Year | 1858 |
City | London |
Big Ben is the nickname for the Great Bell of the striking clock in the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London; the name is often extended to refer to both the clock and the clock tower. The official name of this tower in which Big Ben is located was originally the Clock Tower; it was renamed Elizabeth Tower in 2012 to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II, Queen of the uk. The tower was designed by Augustus Pugin at a neo-Gothic style. When completed in 1859, its clock was the largest and most accurate four-faced striking and chiming clock on the planet. The tower stands 315 ft (96 m) tall, and the climb from ground level to the belfry is 334 steps. Its foundation is square, measuring 39 ft (12 m) on each side. Dials of the clock are 23 feet (7.0 m) in diameter. On 31 May 2009, celebrations were held to mark the tower's 150th anniversary.Big Ben is the biggest of the tower's five bells and weighs 13.5 long tons (13.7 tonnes; 15.1 short tons). It was the biggest bell in the United Kingdom for 23 years. The origin of this bell's nickname is open to question; it might be named after Sir Benjamin Hall, who oversaw its own installation, or heavyweight boxing champion Benjamin Caunt. Four quarter bells chime at 15, 30 and 45 minutes past the hour and just before Big Ben tolls on the hour. The clock uses its first Victorian mechanics, but an electric motor can be applied as a backup. The tower is a British cultural icon recognised all over the world. It is among the most prominent symbols of the uk and parliamentary democracy, and it is often used in the establishing shot of films set in London. The clock tower has been a part of a Grade I listed building since 1970 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. On 21 August 2017, a four-year schedule of renovation works began on the tower, which are to include the addition of a lift. In addition, there are plans to re-glaze and repaint the clock dials. With a few exceptions, such as New Year's Eve and Remembrance Sunday, the bells should be silent until the work is completed in 2021.
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