The architecture and location of Thomas Jefferson Memorial create one of the most fascinating memorials and monuments in Washington DC. Jefferson Memorial was designed in 1925 by John Russell Pope and it is a resemblance of the Rome’s Pantheon.
The Pantheon in Rome is an adaptation of the architectural work in Neoclassical era admired by Thomas Jefferson himself. Thomas Jefferson Memorial is surrounded by water and located within the Tidal Basin on the National Mall. This gem found within the National Mall (referring to the Memorial) is dedicated to the third U.S. president, Thomas Jefferson who is also an author of the book entitled Declaration of Independence
A visit to the memorial allows you see and learn more about the Jefferson’s diverse, yet bountiful accomplishments. Tidal Basin is a huge mass of water bordered by the well-known cherry blossom trees in Washington DC. On a night lit by moon, you can witness the beauty of the shimmering water mass while in spring, you encounter the glitzy cherry blossom trees as they bloom.
During his life, Thomas Jefferson held numerous roles. He was a politician, a meteorologist, a linguist, a scientist, a lawyer, an architect, a farmer, a book collector, and a diplomat. The most famous of the posts he held were – the author of the initial Declaration of Independence draft and the third president of the United States.
On the inside of the memorial, the white-columned structure in the open air hosts the 19-foot statue of Jefferson made of bronze. The statue is designed facing the White House.
Rudolph Evans, an artist wanted Jefferson statue to be a symbol of the European intellectual movement founded in 18th century known as the Age of Enlightenment. The movement stressed on equality and liberty as natural people’s rights. Although Jefferson believed on the idea of the movement, his legacy is a little complex considering that he was also an owner of a slave.
On the walls of the Jefferson Memorial, you find various encryptions or texts that express things like rights to religious freedom and the importance of reviewing existing laws to align with the changing times.
On the wall on the southwest wall, you will find some of the most powerful sights of the memorial. The left side of the statue features very impactful words in United States’ history as directly taken from the Declaration of Independence. The words read,
“We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
When approaching the memorial, you can see and feel the immensity presented by the memorial and it’s architectural details. It’s an exciting monument giving a symbol of a man who was a 1st Continental Congress delegate, a Virginia Colonial Assembly member, a Governor of Virginia, as well as the United States’ 2nd Vice President, 1st Secretary of State, and the 3rd President of the US. Jefferson was also an armature architect involved in the design of UNESCO World Heritage sites, which are Academical village and Rotunda at the University of Virginia and Monticello, his home.
The exterior of the memorial has two pain parts both of which comprise the Imperial Danby Marble extracted from Vermont State. The circular marble stairs leading up to the memorial’s interior are considered the main exterior piece.
The main platform consists of an exterior rimmed with colonnade. The colonnade has 26 ionic order columns measuring 43 inches each, that’s about 13 meters in height. The columns are capped using an Indiana limestone dome that measures about 100 inches, that’s 31 meters in height from the ground level.
Also, there is a colonnaded portico attached to the circular part that contains 10 ionic columns, which match the height of the columns you find in the other side. The portico has a friezed piedmont. You will see a grand marble staircase leading to the main entrance that gives you a nice spot to take some photos.
When you walk upstairs to reach the key platform and stop in the central part of the front area of the 10 column, turning 180 degrees gives you another spectacular view. Across the Tidal Basin, you will see the Washington Monument. Looking directly across the Basin, it gives you an opportunity to see part of the areas where the trees break.
Right at that point, you can see the White Houses’ South Portico. There are myths about the reasons why the trees break. It is believed that President Franklin Delano Roosevelt ordered several cherry trees to be removed to allow him observe Jefferson Memorial as it was being constructed using a binoculars right from his office at White House.
As you gain entry to the main chamber, you can look on your right. There is a cornerstone laid on November 15, 1939 by President Roosevelt during a time when war was raging in Asia and Europe.
Inside the cornerstone is a replica of the Constitution of the United States, a print of the Declaration of Independence, the writing from Thomas Jefferson, which includes what is known as the Jefferson Bible or simply the morals and life of Jesus of Nazareth.
In addition, there is a copy of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Commission’s annual report of 1939 and copies of the four top Washington, DC newspapers.
You will notice the changes in marble as you walk inside the memorial. The outside areas use marble that is quarried in Vermont, but the interior walls along with columns are designed using white marble from Georgia. The use of the two different marbles symbolizes southern and northern boundaries of the 13 original colonies – these are Georgia and Vermont boundaries.
The floor is designed of Tennessee Pink Marble while the ceiling is made using Indiana limestone. The statue of Jefferson stands on the base of black granite from Minnesota skirted using gray marble from Missouri. The locations where the marbles were picked from remind us of the lands comprising the Louisiana Purchases that were authorized by Jefferson. These lands doubled up the land of the US.
The main chamber is about 82 inches, that’s about 25 meters in diameter. It has a height of over 91 inches, that’s about 28 meters. The four entrances of the chamber mark the cardinal directions- east, west, south, and north. Each of these entrances has 4 ionic columns measuring about 39 inches, that’s 12 meters. These are slightly smaller compared to the columns that rim the exterior part of the memorial.
The bronze statue stands in the center. It was designed by Rudolph Evans. In the design work of the statue, Evans was required to show Jefferson as he addressed the Continental Congress as an emphasis of vigor of character. The statue shows Jefferson wearing a cloak that was given to him by Thaddeus Kosciuszko, a dear friend his and a Polish freedom fighter. Thaddeus was also an old hand of the American Revolutionary War. In his left hand, the statue depicts Jefferson holding the Declaration of Independence. Heroically, Jefferson gazes the White House and the Washington Monument. Jefferson statue measures 19 inches, that is about 6 meters in height and it weighs 10,000 lbs, that’s 4,536kg.
Behind the statue, there are two capitals. One is designed using tobacco plants while the other is designed using corn plants. Use of plants in the design of the capitals presents the connection and love Jefferson had to the land as well as his credence in an agrarian nation.
There is an interesting story concerning the memorial’s date of dedication. The official dedication of the memorial was done on 13 April 1943. This was the 200th anniversary after the birth of Jefferson. The dedication happened at a time when the US was being involved in the WWII. Bronze, a metal that is used to build the statue is derived from tin and copper. During the war, these two metals were rationed. So, the statue would not be fitted until the restrictions were loosened or lifted, and that was 1947.
Between each of the four openings there is a memorial wall. The southwest wall is the first visitors are likely to see. It’s also the most recognizable. The wall has popular excerpt derived from the Declaration of Independence. Along with Jefferson statue, the texts on the wall reminds visitors of the spirit that resulted in the breaking apart of Great Britain and Americans.
The northwest wall features two documents, one dealing with Jefferson’s religious connections. Much of the inscription is picked from the Statue of Virginia for Religious Freedom authored by Jefferson himself.
The Statue of Virginia for Religious Freedom had an influence on the first Amendment to the Constitution. Again, the last sentence from the document is derived from a letter that Jefferson wrote from Paris to James Madison.
On the northeast wall, there are numerous documents. The most notable ones are the Jefferson’s autobiography, Notes on the State of Virginia, and Summary View of the Rights of British American. The wall features documents about slavery. It also talks about the importance of having public education to help people preserve a free and educated citizenry.
The southeast wall contains an excerpt taken from a letter Jefferson jotted to Samuel Kerchival. In the letter, Jefferson emphasized on the need to have changes and evolution in institutions as the society advanced. Jefferson knew that for people to influence and change their world, they needed freedom.
On the southeast wall, there is also a main quote requiring visitors to take a 360 degree turn to be able to read it. The quote reads,
“I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility over every form of tyranny of the mind of man”
The above quote comes from a letter Jefferson wrote to Dr. Benjamin Rush. In the letter, Jefferson sought to defend the prohibition by the constitution that a state religion should be established. Jefferson had fought against the establishment of an official state church in Virginia, the Anglican Church.
When you take the stairs or elevator that leads to the underneath area of the statue chamber, you will find a gift shop, restrooms, and a small museum hosting an exhibit dubbed Light and Liberty. This exhibit details the life, beliefs, qualities, innovations, and inventions of Thomas Jefferson.
If you happen to be at the memorial during the start of summer and it is sunset, you can consider walking out west entrance to get to the stairs. At this time, you can witness the sunset directly occurring over the horizon in front. Looking past the Tidal Basin, a visitor can view the Potomac River while Arlington House situated in Arlington National Cemetery can be viewed on the right side at the hill.
Adolph Weinman created the sculptural piece known as “the Drafting of the Declaration of Independence”. In the video, Weinman depicts Thomas Jefferson standing in front and at the center of four seated 1st Continental Congress members. These members were assigned the task to draft the formal declaration.
An important point to mention here is that Jefferson was not initially intended to be the person taking the seat to represent Virginia state at the 1st Continental Congress, however, because of his writing talents, he was given the assignment to draft the Declaration while the others served as mainly editors. On the side are John Adams and Benjamin Franklin and to the left are Robert Livingston and Roger Sherman.
Visitors who want to tour the memorial can reach it by Metrobus or Metrorail. The nearest Metro station visitors can use is the Smithsonian Metro Station on the Blue, Silver, and Orange lines. If you are travelling by Metrobus, you can take route 32, 36, or 34.
The memorial is open throughout year, 24 hours a day. You will find Park Service Rangers on duty working from 9.30 am through 11.00 pm, except during Christmas.
It will take you about 15 minutes of walking to reach the memorial from the Metro station. Using Google and other apps will show you the direction from the Smithsonian Metro Station. As you approach the memorial, you will walk by the side of the Tidal Basin to explore its famous cherry trees and the mass of water.
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