As we all know, The United States is best in world-class technologies and lifestyles. On the other hand, it is also famous for its monuments, which are historical havens for travelers. They have been preserved and maintained to excellence, where every historic monument adds a feather to the crown of cultural and architectural engineering. There are hundreds of amazing monuments in The United States where the topmost are listed below. Visiting these spots of game-changing historical events is worth for a lifetime.
Gateway Arch, St. Louis
The Gateway Arch is the tallest man-made monument in the Western Hemisphere. This arch is 630 foot tall which is made up of stainless steel and is located in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. This arch was built as a symbol to indicate the westward expansion of the United States and is officially dedicated to The American people. This arch is commonly referred to as “the Gateway of the west”. The Gateway Arch is an internationally recognized symbol which is also a popular tourist attraction. This arch is built in the year 1967 which was designed by Finnish-American architect named Eero Saarinen. You can reach the top of the arch by traveling in a tram if you have no fear of heights. From the top of the arch, you can view as far as 30 miles on a clear day and have a glimpse of the Mississippi River as well. To add more beauty to this arch, a designer name Randy Burkett, designed 44 lightning fixtures which is situated in four pits just below the ground level.
Statue of Liberty, New York
The Statue of Liberty is a figure or Libertas, who is a robe Roman liberty goddess. She holds a torch with her right hand, above her head which has imprinted Roman numerals JULY IV MDCCXXVI (July 4, 1776) which is the date of the US Declaration of Independence. This statue is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on the Liberty Island in New York Harbor. This statue is made up of copper and was a gift from the people of France to the people of the United States. This liberty statue was designed by French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi. The statue was erected to public view on October 28, 1886. This statue is an icon of freedom of the United States and also as a symbol of welcome to immigrants arriving by sea. A broken shackle and chain lie at the feet of the statue as she walks forward, denotes the recent national abolition of slavery. It is believed that this statue is stood for hope and new beginnings of America.
Washington Monument, Washington, D.C.
The Washington monument was built on the National mall in Washington, D.C., to commemorate George Washington who was once the commander-in-chief of the continental army and also the first President of the United States. This monument is the tallest column in the world if it is measured above the pedestrian entrances. However, it is the tallest structure in the world between 1884 and 1889 after which it was overtaken by the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The construction of the monument began in 1848 and officially opened to the public in the year 1888, where the construction halted for almost 23 years from 1854 to 1877 due to a lack of funds at the time of the American civil war. This monument consists of a hollow Egyptian stone which is a 500-foot tall column surmounted by a 55-foot tall pyramidion. This monument offers a view of more than 30 miles in the distance.
Muir Woods National Monument, Mount Tamalpais
The Muir woods national monument is an old-growth coastal redwood forest. This monument is managed by the National Park service named after naturalist John Muir and hence the name of the monument. It is situated on Mount Tamalpais near the Pacific coast, California. It protects 554 acres of which 240 acres a beach Old-growth coastal redwood forests, few of them stand remaining in the San Francisco bay area. The fog is a vital element for the growth of redwoods as they use moisture from the fog during droughty seasons, particularly in summer. The redwoods grow on brown humus-rich loam which is stony and sandy. These soil are well-drained, moderately deep, and moderately acidic. A Japanese eco poster Toru Takemitsu composed 3 movement solo guitar piece “In the Woods” during the year 1995. The third movement of the piece is called Muir Woods which was inspired in this forest.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial, South Dakota
This memorial is a sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore in the black hills which are located in South Dakota, United States. Sculptor names Gutzon Borglum created these sculpture designs and executed them with the help of his son Lincoln Borglum. This particular sculpture features a 60-foot height that holds the heads of the Presidents of the USA. It consists of 4 Presidents – George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. These 4 presidents were chosen to represent the nation’s birth, growth, development, and preservation. This sculpture is referred to as the “Shrine of Democracy” and this Mount Rushmore attracts more than two million visitors in a year. It almost took 14 years with 400 workers to carve the faces. The visitors who come here can also experience some rock climbing and wildlife watching in the surrounding black hills.
Cloud Gate Sculpture, Chicago
The cloud gate is a public sculpture that was constructed recently in the year between 2004 to 2006. It is also nicknamed “The Bean Sculpture” because of its shape. This cloud Gate is made of 168 stainless steel sheets that are welded together and polished to excellence that it has no visible seams. It is measured as 33 by 66 by 42 feet and weighs around 110 tons. This sculpture is sculpted by Indian born British artist Sir Anish Kapoor which was inspired by liquid mercury where the sculpture’s surface reflects and distorts the skyline. It is also designed in a way where the visitors can walk around and under the cloud gate. This is one of the most photographed places on earth.
Bunker Hill Monument, Boston
The Bunker Hill monument was erected to celebrate the battle of Bunker Hill, which was the first major battle between rotisserie and Patriot forces in the American Revolutionary War. This monument is 221 foot in height and is made up of granite obelisk, erected in the year 1825 to 1843. This huge monument consists of 294 steps to reach the top from ground level. A museum across the monument features artifacts from the battle, such as authentic cannonball and other revolutionary war weapons. To witness the American war history fully, walk down the two and a half mile freedom trial that features 16 historically significant sites including the Bunker Hill monument.
The United States Marine Corps War Memorial, Arlington
The Marine Corps war memorial is the most famous image of world war 2 which is commemorated in bronze on George Washington Memorial Parkway in Arlington, Virginia. This memorial was built to honor the Marines who died in service, this sculpture was a photo reference taken during the battle of Iwo Jima on Japan’s Volcano Islands. This statue depicts a group of Marines raising a US flag on Mount Suribachi. The base of this memorial has a statement imprinted that says
“Uncommon Valor was a Common Virtue”. The ideal time to visit this memorial is on the days of summer where you can witness the one-hour sunset Marine Corps parade that is a complete package of bugle music and precision drills.
Liberty Bell, Philadelphia
The liberty bell is an iconic symbol of American Independence which is located in Philadelphia. This is also called a Statehouse bell, which is now places in the Independence National Historical Park. The bell cracked when it was rung after it arrival in Philadelphia and it was recast twice by local workmen John Pass and John Stow whose last names appear on the bell. In the early days, this bell was used to summon lawmakers to legislative sessions and to alert citizens about public meetings and proclamations. After the civil war, this liberty bell spent several decades touring all around the country before coming to rest in Philadelphia.
Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco
The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most internationally recognized symbols of San Francisco, California. It has been declared as one of the wonders of the modern world by the American society of civil engineers. This Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge that spans the golden gate, the one Mile wide strait connecting San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. It was initially designed by an engineer named Joseph Strauss in the year 1917. This Bridge was opened in the year 1937, and at that time it was both the longest and tallest bridge in the world with a main span of 4200 feet and a total height of 746 feet. It’s one part is a functional roadway and the other part holds beautiful iconic sculpture.
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