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Lincoln Memorial Facts

Lincoln Memorial Facts
The Lincoln Memorial is a national monument built to honor Abraham Lincoln, the United States' 16th president. The monument is located in the National Mall in Washington, DC, at the western end. Construction of the monument began on February 12th, 1915. This was also Lincoln's birthday. It was dedicated on May 30th, 1922. Henry Bacon was the monument's architect. He designed the monument a Greek Doric temple-style building, with 36 columns and Lincoln's statue inside the temple itself. The statue of Lincoln was designed by Daniel Chester French, and carved from marble by the Piccirilli Brothers. Jules Guerin painted the murals on the interior of the monument.
Interesting Lincoln Memorial Facts:
Abraham Lincoln was one of the most cherished of the United States' presidents. He was assassinated in 1865.
Abraham Lincoln was instrumental in leading the U.S. through one of its most troubled periods, and the Civil War. He managed to save the Union, modernize the U.S. economy, strengthen the government and abolish slavery. His death was a blow to the country.
Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth, an actor and Confederate sympathizer, on April 14th, 1865.
The height of the Lincoln Memorial is 99 feet. The sculpture of the sitting Abraham Lincoln himself is 19 feet.
The sculpture of Abraham Lincoln was designed by Daniel Chester French, who also designed Concord, Massachusetts' 'Minute Man' sculpture; the 'Standing Lincoln' in Lincoln, Nebraska; 'John Harvard' at Harvard University; and 'John Boyle O'Reilly Memorial' in Boston, Massachusetts, among many other notable sculptures in the United States.
At the time of Abraham Lincoln's death there were 36 states of the Union. This is the reason that there were 36 columns designed into the Lincoln Memorial.
The marble used for the building portion of the Lincoln Memorial was from Colorado. The marble used for Abraham Lincoln's statue was from Georgia.
Abraham Lincoln's involvement in abolishing slavery led to the Lincoln Memorial becoming an important symbol for race relations. Martin Luther King gave his 'I Have a Dream' speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28th, 1963.
There are 87 steps from the Reflecting Pool to Lincoln's statue in the monument. The number 87 represents 'four score and 7' as Abraham Lincoln spoke in his famous Gettysburg Address.
Inside the Lincoln Memorial are two murals. One includes stone engravings of the Gettysburg Address and the other contains stone engravings of Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural address.
Above Abraham Lincoln's statue's head is an inscription: In this temple, as in the hearts of the people, for whom he saved the union, the memory of Abraham Lincoln, is enshrined forever.
The Lincoln Memorial is pictured on the back of the U.S. $5 bill and on one side of the U.S. penny.
There are more than 6 million visitors to the Lincoln Memorial every year.
Both Arlington National Cemetery and Lee-Custis Mansion are located behind the Lincoln Memorial to the west. To the memorial's east lies Capitol Hill and the Washington Monument.
Lincoln Memorial was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 15th, 1966.


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