If you have visited other cities in the country, you will immediately notice that Washington DC is very different! There are no skyscrapers here and everything moves at a normal pace, it is clean, tidy and neat. The capital of the United States is more than just a place where big decisions are made!
A few words about the city
Washington DC is the capital of the United States and is naturally named after the first president of the country, George Washington. After the independence of the United States on August 2, 1776, many cities served as state capitals, until on July 16, 1790, when the presidential decree approved the creation of a capital district located along the Potomac River on the East Coast. Of course, the choice of this particular location was not at all accidental, since it is located approximately in the middle of the large cities of the industrial North and the rural South. As defined by the United States Constitution, this particular District is under the exclusive jurisdiction of the United States Congress and therefore is not part of any U.S. state! Washington DC has an area of 177 sq km, while its population is estimated at 720,687 residents within the city and 6,280,697 in the wider metropolitan area, making it the sixth largest in the country. Today it is described as a huge open and free museum, full of impressive government buildings, interesting museums, emotionally charged monuments and lush green parks. So I have selected for you what I consider to be worthy of attention for someone visiting the city for the first time.
US Capitol
The United States Capitol is one of the most impressive buildings in the city and certainly the most important building in the country. It is located on Capitol Hill and is the seat of Congress, the legislative branch of the federal government. Like many other buildings in the capital, the architecture of the Capitol is based on European designs from ancient Greek and Roman times. It was designed by William Thornton in 1793 and was inspired by the west facade of the Louvre and the Pantheon in Paris. The Capitol was under construction from 1793 to 1811, although the first meeting of Congress took place in 1800, inside the unfinished building! The dazzling dome of the Capitol is 55 meters high and 30 meters wide inside, which makes it the largest in the world and visible from every point in Washington! Finally, at its top is the Statue of Liberty, which was installed in 1863, while on the ceiling there is a mural called "Apotheosis of George Washington", which is the work of the Greek painter Konstantinos Broumides!
Library of Congress
Just behind the Capitol you will find the Library of Congress. Founded in 1800, it is the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States, and is considered one of the largest libraries in the world! It is housed in three buildings and contains approximately 173 million items, while more than 3,000 professional and support staff are employed there. Its collections are “universal, not limited by subject, format, or national borders, and include research materials from all parts of the world and in more than 470 languages”! Furthermore, the main reading room of the Library of Congress in the Thomas Jefferson Building will impress you with its impressive decoration and ornate architecture. Admission to the Library is free.
Lincoln Memorial
The Lincoln Memorial was built in honor of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, who signed the Emancipation Proclamation. It is a typical example of neoclassicism, built between 1914 and 1922, and has the form of a classical temple! In fact, many believe that the inspiration of the architect Henry Bacon for this particular building came from the Parthenon in Athens, Greece! Inside the monument there is a huge seated statue of the president, created by Daniel Chester French, murals by Jules Guerin and the epitaph written by Royal Cortissoz! Even on the steps of this particular monument, Martin Luther King gave his famous speech. Where he stood, the words “I have a dream” are engraved on the floor! Finally, in front of the monument is the Reflecting Pool, a large pool that reflects the National World War II Memorial and the Washington Monument, which I will discuss below. Admission is free!
World War II Memorial
Right across the street is the World War II Memorial, the national monument of the United States. It was created in 2004 and replaced a monument dedicated to George Bush, which was located at the same location. It is dedicated to the Americans who served in the armed forces and as civilians during World War II! The monument consists of 56 granite columns, decorated with bronze laurel wreaths, representing US states and territories, a pair of small triumphal arches for the Atlantic and Pacific theaters, surrounding an oval plaza and several fountains. There is also a memorial wall of gold stars representing the fallen, and across the street, a sloping and stepped entrance plaza leading to the oval from 17th Street.
Washington Monument
The Washington Monument, on the other hand, was built to honor the memory of George Washington, a founding father and first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. It is an obelisk almost 170 meters high, which for years was the tallest building in the world, while today it is still the tallest stone structure in the world! It is considered the symbol of the city and one of the most photographed buildings in the entire country! Its construction materials are granite, three types of marble and bluestone. Finally, the Washington Monument is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, while admission is free!
Korean War Veterans Memorial- Vietnam Veteran’s memorial
In the same surrounding area, there are two other important memorials dedicated to war veterans. The first of these is the Korean War Veterans Memorial, which was originally constructed in 1995 and expanded to what we see today in 2022! It is dedicated to the sacrifices of the 5.8 million Americans who served in the U.S. armed services during the Korean War. From June 25, 1950 to July 27, 1953, 54,246 Americans died supporting their country. The memorial includes 19 statues representing U.S. military personnel in action and a granite memorial wall, engraved with the names of U.S. military personnel (and South Koreans embedded in U.S. military units), who died in the war!
The second monument is dedicated to the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial. It was designed in 1982 by American architect Maya Lin and at the time, it was considered a revolutionary minimalist design for a war memorial. From a distance, this black granite monument looks like a hollow in the landscape, a wound that never healed. It consists of two huge walls, on which are engraved, in chronological order, the names of more than 58,000 soldiers who gave their lives between 1957 and 1975! The monument is also completed by the “Three Soldiers” statue added in 1984 and the “Vietnam Women’s Memorial” added in 1993. Admission to both monuments is free!
White House
The White House is the residence and workplace of the President and Vice President of the United States of America. It is located on Pennsylvania Avenue and was named in 1901 by President Theodore Roosevelt, due to the white color of the main building of the facility. It is worth mentioning that the building was originally yellow. During the War of 1812, when James Madison was in power, British soldiers captured and burned the building. The reconstruction of the presidential residence was completed in 1817 and President James Monroe and his family were able to move into the building, which was then painted white. Today, it takes over 2,000 liters of paint to paint the White House! The Presidential Residence is more than 5,000 sq m. and has 130 rooms, while its trademark is the famous Oval Office of the President, where all the big decisions are made! Finally, from time to time some tours are conducted inside the White House, but these are only done upon request!
Jefferson Memorial
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) was the third president of the United States, Secretary of State in George Washington's cabinet, and the author of the Declaration of Independence. The Thomas Jefferson Memorial was constructed between 1939 and 1943 in the neoclassical style and is located in West Potomac Park on the banks of the Potomac River. It was designed by John Russell Pope, a New York architect, and built by Philadelphia contractor John McShane. The imposing marble columns and Monticello-shaped dome feature selections from Jefferson's writings on a variety of subjects, including religion, education, liberty, and government. Finally, this particular building ranked fourth in the list of America's Favorite Architecture, published by the American Institute of Architects, in 2007. Admission to the Monument is free!
Dr Martin Luther King Jr National Memorial-Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
Two other monuments worth seeing in the city are those of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr National Memorial honors him and the fight for freedom, equality, and justice. It covers four acres and includes the Stone of Hope, a granite statue of the civil rights leader carved by sculptor Lei Yixin. The inspiration for the monument is a line from King’s “I Have a Dream” speech: “Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.” The memorial opened to the public on August 22, 2011, after more than two decades of planning, fundraising, and construction.
The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial is dedicated to the memory of the 32nd President of the United States, and the era he represented. It was created on May 2, 1997, by Bill Clinton and extends over a 7.5-acre site. The memorial consists of four outdoor rooms, one for each of Roosevelt's terms! The site also features various sculptures inspired by the personal and political life of the president and his family! Considering Roosevelt's disability, the memorial's designers intended to create a memorial that would be accessible to people with various physical disabilities. Among other features, the memorial includes a tactile area with Braille for people who are blind! Admission to both monuments is free.
Georgetown - Dupont Circle
Georgetown is the oldest neighborhood and the heart of entertainment in Washington, D.C.! It is a waterfront area along the Potomac River, which offers beautiful views of the Atlantic Ocean! It was founded in 1751 as part of the colonial-era Maryland Province, predating the founding of Washington by 40 years! Georgetown's main shopping streets are the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and M Street, which include high-end clothing stores, cafes, bars, restaurants, and the famous Georgetown Park, an indoor shopping center. It is worth wandering the cobblestone streets with elegant row houses, historic buildings, and a historic university campus, which offer a glimpse into the area's rich past!
Nearby you will also find Dupont Circle, a historic roundabout park, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places! It was named after Rear Admiral Samuel Francis du Pont, and in its center there is an impressive fountain. The neighborhood is known for its high concentration of embassies, many of which are located on Embassy Row!
Supreme Court
The Supreme Court Building is the home of the highest court of the United States federal judiciary. It is located at 1 First Street in the northeast section of the city, just one block east of the Capitol and the Library of Congress. The proposal for a separate building for the Supreme Court was put forward in 1912 by President William Howard Taft, who became Chief Justice in 1921. In 1929, Taft successfully advocated for the creation of the new building, but he did not live to see it built. Physical construction began in 1932 and was officially completed in 1935 under the direction of Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes. Finally, the building was designed by architect Cass Gilbert, in a neoclassical style, like most of the buildings in the city, and can be visited daily from Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.!
Ford’s Theater
Ford’s Theater is one of the most famous theaters in the world, but not for the reason you might think! This particular theater opened in 1863 and went down in history as the site of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln! On the evening of April 14, 1865, actor John Wilkes Booth entered the theater where Lincoln was watching a performance, pulled a pistol from his pocket, and shot him in the head. After being shot, the mortally wounded Lincoln was taken across the street to the nearby Petersen House, where he died the next morning. The theater was then used as a warehouse and government office building, and became a museum in 1932, and was renovated and reopened as a theater in 1968! Today, a museum operates next to the Petersen House.
Museums
Washington is widely known for its many and extremely interesting museums, most of which have free admission. The truth is that it is impossible to visit them all in just one visit to the city, so I have selected the ones that I think you should not miss! I therefore suggest you focus on the Smithsonian Institution, the largest museum complex in the world, with a series of museums and galleries that present art, culture, science and history, such as the Smithsonian National Museum of Air and Space and the National Gallery of Art. The former covers the modern history of space flight and the moon, while offering a unique knowledge experience about famous astronauts, aeronautics and aircraft. The National Gallery, on the other hand, exhibits 141,000 drawings, paintings, photographs, and sculptures that show the development from the Middle Ages to the present day.
Equally interesting are the National Museum of Natural History and the National Museum of American History! The Museum of Natural History opened in 1910 and was one of the first Smithsonian buildings, built exclusively to house the national collections and research facilities. The main building has a total area of 140,000 square meters and contains over 146 million specimens of plants, animals, fossils, minerals, rocks, meteorites, human remains, human cultural artifacts, and the largest collection of natural history in the world! The National Museum of American History preserves and displays the heritage of the United States in the areas of social, political, cultural, scientific, and military history. Among the artifacts on display is the original Star-Spangled Banner!
Finally, don't miss the National Archive Museum and the National Museum of the American Indian. The first one has over two centuries of Federal Government archives, letters, memoranda, maps, drawings, photographs, films and objects that illustrate the history of national life! Finally, the other museum will impress you with both its architecture and its interesting exhibits. It boasts one of the world's most extensive collections of Native American artifacts, photographs, objects and media.
National Cathedral
The National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. is dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul. Although it may look like a very old building, it was actually built during the 20th century. Construction began in 1906 and was completed in 1988! The structure is a Gothic Revival design, in the English Gothic style of the late fourteenth century, and it is the second largest church building in the United States and the third tallest building in Washington, D.C.! You will also be impressed by the medieval-style garden, the eerie gargoyle statues, and the colorful stained glass windows! Finally, the cathedral is the seat of the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, Sean Rowe, and the bishop of the Diocese of Washington, Mariann Edgar Budde. Admission is free!
US Marine Corps War Memorial
For the end, I left one of the most important monuments that one will find in the American capital. The US Marine Corps War Memorial was built in 1954, in Arlington Ridge Park, just outside the city center! It represents this nation's gratitude to the Marines and to those who have fought alongside them since 1775. It consists of a statue, inspired by an iconic photograph, and depicts one of the most famous incidents of World War II! More specifically, it refers to the morning of February 19, 1945, when the 4th and 5th Marine Divisions invaded the tiny island of Iwo Jima, which is located 660 miles south of Tokyo.
How to go
There are three airports in Washington, D.C.: Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. Of course, there is no direct flight from Thessaloniki to the capital of the United States, but you can find options with just one stop! Perhaps the most ideal option is a Turkish Airlines flight with a connection in Istanbul, where with proper planning one can find tickets starting from 746€ round trip. From there, another option is to choose a Lufthansa flight with a connection in Munich (there are several hours of waiting, however), where with proper planning one can find tickets starting from 589€ round trip.
Where to stay
The truth is that Washington is not as touristy a city as New York or Las Vegas, but it attracts many travelers every year from all over the world. This also means a wide range of accommodations, which are reasonably priced compared to the aforementioned cities! My suggestion is The Architect, a two-star hotel with nicely decorated and clean rooms, just 700 meters from the White House!
How to move
The city center is easily accessible on foot, but if you want to go a little further afield, you should take the subway. The subway is relatively clean and easy to use, with six lines and 91 stations, serving most of Washington and all the major suburbs. And where trains don't go, buses do. The bus system is equally good and runs 325 routes throughout the area, with a ticket costing just one dollar! Furthermore, Washington is an extremely friendly city for cyclists! In recent years, bike paths have been created in many places, while you will find rental bikes almost everywhere, ready to use. Finally, another transportation solution is taxis, which are available almost everywhere in the city, but are considered somewhat expensive!
What to eat
The large size of the country and the long history of immigration have created a particularly diverse taste palette, which varies by region. American cuisine is a "heavy" cuisine, with foods rich in fat and calories. As you know, U.S.A. is considered the homeland of fast food, with its main dishes being burgers, hot dogs, barbecued meats, pancakes and many, many more! However, a special place in the culture of the locals is played by the cuisines of immigrants such as Mexican, Chinese, Italian, Jewish and, of course, Greek!
Useful information
In Washington, we travel with a Passport valid for at least 6 months. You do not need a Visa to enter the country, but you must apply in advance to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) here. The cost of this certificate is 21 dollars and it is usually issued within 24 hours! However, this document only concerns those who want to travel to the USA for tourist purposes, and they should not have recently visited any of the “dangerous countries”. Otherwise, you will have to visit the American embassy to have it issued to you!
In Washington, the language used is, of course, English!
The country’s currency is the American Dollar (USD) and its exchange rate is currently 1€ = 1.09 dollars.
In Washington, the use of cards is the absolute protagonist in transactions! To such an extent that some stores do not accept cash! You will need cash in very few cases, so I would suggest changing a small amount at a bank in the city!
Washington is seven hours behind Greece (UTC -5).
There are many solutions for your journey to and from the three airports in Washington, D.C., and more specifically Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport! For the first, there is the subway, specifically the yellow line, which will take you directly to the city center! For the second, you can use a bus, while for the third, you will need a combination of the above since it is also the airport that is further away! Finally, in all three cases, you can choose to travel by taxi, which is somewhat expensive since you have to count on over 100 per ride!
The Greek Embassy in Washington, D.C. is located at 2217 Massachusetts Avenue N.W. and its telephone number is +1202 9391300.
As a city full of greenery, the best time to visit Washington is in the spring or fall. So when the summer season ends and most of the tourists leave with it, all that remains is a gentle breeze and the leaves changing colors, which, by the way, look great on all the marble monuments of the city.
Recommended excursions → New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore
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Mouzakidis Pantelis
