Jefferson Memorial History & Facts

Modeled after the Pantheon of Rome, the Thomas Jefferson is a president memorial located in the nation's capital. It is the foremost memorial to the third President of the United States. Thomas Jefferson is one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America and has made significant contribution to the country. As the author of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson is widely considered as one of the most important figures who have a great impact on the history of the nation. He is more than just an outstanding politician. Thomas Jefferson is also internationally known as an excellent writer, inventor and musician and so on.

Today, along with a number of other memorials located nearby, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial is managed by the National Park Service. This grand building is a part of the National Mall and Memorial Parks group. The Jefferson Memorial is not only a venue for visitors to commemorate the incredible President Jefferson, but also a wonderful destination for people to enjoy the breathtaking view of this engaging city.

No matter where you are from, if you are one of those who adore President Jefferson, you really should pay a visit to the Thomas Jefferson Memorial in Washington, DC. You can find a noble bronze statue of Thomas Jefferson inside the memorial as well as inscriptions and other stuff to commemorate this renowned president. The Thomas Jefferson Memorial is located on the south side of White House, and it is really a piece of cake for you to get there, since there are a lot of transportation options for you to utilize.

Homepage of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial

http://www.nps.gov/thje/index.htm

More Details about the Jefferson Memorial on Wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_Memorial

Before you actually come to experience this high-profile memorial and enjoy its amazing surrounding, you might be curious about the history and a few interesting facts regarding this building. Well, just keep reading. Information we provide below would give you a complete picture of this gorgeous national memorial.

As the third president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson is really respectable. And President Franklin Delano Roosevelt thought that there should be a national memorial, like the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, for people to commemorate President Jefferson and his incredible contribution to the nascent nation. And then in 1934, a related commission was founded. This commission was aimed to pick a perfect location for the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. Besides, it was going to select the most meaningful and suitable design for this splendid memorial.

A design competition for the Thomas Jefferson Memorial has been held during 1925. However, according to the commission, there was not any design good enough for the Jefferson Memorial until they received a design by a great architect - John Russel Pope. This brilliant architect made the magnificent Thomas Jefferson Memorial a neo-classical dome-shaped rotunda, which features a portico that is based on the Pantheon of Rome. Considering that President Jefferson had been very supportive for classical architecture when he was alive, the commission thought John Russel Pope's design would be the best choice for the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. Anyway, it turns out that this design is truly perfect, not only for being an amazing tribute to President Jefferson, but also for being a wonderful landmark of the nation.

It was not until December 15, 1939 that the construction of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial started. And the cornerstone of the building was laid down on November 15. However, it took nearly 5 years to finish this grand project. This spectacular building was finally completed in 1943 and officially opened to the public on April 13, 1943. The Thomas Jefferson Memorial was made of terrific marble from the State of Vermont and the inside walls of the memorial were adorned with white marble from Georgia.

In1947, a bronze statue of Thomas Jefferson was placed inside the Jefferson Memorial. Before that, visitors can only found a plaster statue of President Jefferson standing in the magnificent memorial. That is because metal has been rationed during the period of the Second World War. After the war, a splendid bronze statue of Thomas Jefferson has been sculpted and placed inside the Jefferson Memorial to replace the original plaster statue. The bronze statue of President Jefferson rests on marble from Minnesota and is sculpted by Rudulph Evans. More amazingly, this huge bronze statue is decorated with pink marble from Tennessee, which really makes the statue incredibly gorgeous.

Inside the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, there are a couple of items really worth your attention. The statue of President Jefferson in bronze is about 19 feet (6 m) in height. On the walls, you can catch a glimpse of engravings for passages taken from the Declaration of Independence as well as other writings by Thomas Jefferson. Overall, this fantastic memorial comprises circular marble steps, a portico based on the Pantheon in Rome, shallow dome and lonic order columns, etc. All these elements make it a one of a kind building in the world.

Since it is located on the south side of the Tidal Basin, which is a beautiful lake blessed with amazing scenery and elegant ambiance, the noble Thomas Jefferson Memorial is really an unparalleled venue for people to take a stroll or just sit down and meditate for a while. Besides, it is said that from the top steps of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, visitors can enjoy the best view of the White House, which sits directly north of the memorial.

Being a famous tourist destination, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial is visited by millions guests annually. Maybe the best period for you to get to the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, DC is in spring, because an array of cherry trees around this magnificent building would be the most breathtaking sights when it comes to spring. These beautiful trees are from the city of Tokyo and they have been sent to the city of Washington as gift since 1912.