Washington D.C.

Why is it famous?

Washington D.C. is the capital of the United States, home to the Capitol Building where Congress meets and the White House where the President lives and works.

The city is famous for the National Mall, a long, grassy stretch lined with monuments, memorials, and free museums.

How did it grow so big?

Unlike most cities, Washington D.C. wasn't built up slowly around a village — it was carefully planned from scratch in the 1790s to be the nation's brand-new capital.

It was placed on land along the Potomac River, chosen so that no single state could claim the capital as its own, and city planner Pierre L'Enfant laid out its wide avenues and open squares.

Amazing facts

The Washington Monument stands about 169 meters (555 feet) tall, making it the tallest stone structure in the world.

The Lincoln Memorial has 36 columns, one for each of the 36 states that existed in the United States when Abraham Lincoln died.

Quick facts

• The Washington Monument stands about 169 meters (555 feet) tall, making it the tallest stone structure in the world.
• The Lincoln Memorial has 36 columns, one for each of the 36 states that existed in the United States when Abraham Lincoln died.
• The Smithsonian museums along the National Mall make up the largest museum and research complex in the world, and nearly all of them are free to visit.
• Thousands of cherry blossom trees, a gift from Japan in 1912, bloom pink and white around the Tidal Basin every spring.