The Building: Exterior ![]() Carol Highsmith
Architect Henry Bacon modeled the Lincoln Memorial after the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. Bacon felt that a memorial dedicated to a man who defended democracy should echo the birthplace of democracy. The towering memorial is 190 feet long, 120 feet wide, 99 feet tall and constructed with a Colorado-Yule marble.
![]() The Lincoln Steps and Plaza
![]() Columns ![]() Frieze and Cornice Above the colonnade inscribed on the frieze are the names of 36 states and the dates in which they entered the Union. Their names are separated by double wreath medallions in bas-relief. The cornice is composed of a carved scroll with lions' heads in between them and ornamented with palmetto. The next step up on the memorial above the colonnade is called the attic frieze. Here, at the top of the memorial, the names of the 48 states present at the time of the dedication are inscribed. A bit higher is a garland joined by ribbons and palm leaves, supported by the wings of eagles. All ornamentation on the friezes and cornices was done by Ernest C. Bairstow. An homage to Alaska and Hawaii was added at a later date. ![]()
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 Inscriptions
![]() The Murals: ![]() The Statue
The Memorial Landscape ![]() Carol Highsmith Photo. ![]() Reflecting Pool and Elm Walks ![]() USNavy Photo While the Lincoln Memorial today looks as though it was always meant to be where it stands, the landscape of the Lincoln Memorial and surrounding grounds required decades of planning and earth-moving. Through six key periods of construction, the memorial and its surrounding landscape took shape out of the wetlands and mudflats of the Potomac. ![]() NPSVIP Dan Arandt Views and Vistas |
Last updated: November 18, 2018