We didn't expect to like Washington D.C. but if there's one thing we learned in our travels it is that anywhere can surprise you. What surprised us about

Washington, D.C., or the District of Colombia was established by the Constitution of the United States to serve as the nation’s capital. Founded in 1790, Washington, D.C. remains a culturally diverse and vibrant city. Let’s stroll through the city with our walking tours and experiences.

See the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, World War II Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Roosevelt, and Martin Luther King Memorials in Washington DC USA

The Three Soldiers statue, designed by Frederick Hart, was added to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, in a grove of trees near the west entrance to The Wall on Veterans Day, November 11, 1984. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, set in the 42-acre Constitution Gardens, is a national war memorial honoring the members of the U.S. armed forces who fought in the Vietnam War and who died in service or are still unaccounted for, consisting of three separate parts: the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, the Three Soldiers statue, and the Vietnam Women's Memorial. The idea for the monument originated with Jan Scruggs, a Vietnam veteran, who organized the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc., a nonprofit organization formed April 27, 1979, and Congress authorized the site on July 1, 1980. Maintained by the U.S. National Park Service, the memorial receives around 3 million visitors each year. The Memorial Wall, designed by 21-year-old undergraduate student, Maya Ying Lin, the winner of a 1,421-entry 1981 public design competition, was dedicated on November 13, 1982. It consists of two black granite walls, 246 feet-9 inches long, sunk into the ground at a 125-degree angle, meeting at an angle of 125° 12' where they stand 10.1 feet tall and tapering off to a height of eight inches at their extremities. The 58,159 etched names etched represent the serviceman who were either KIA (Killed In Action) or remained classified MIA (Missing in Action) when the walls were constructed. There is a pathway along the base of the Wall, where visitors may walk, make a pencil rubbing of a particular name, or leave sentimental items. Negative reactions to Lin's initial design were so strong that several Congressmen protested, and Secretary of the Interior James G. Watt refused to issue a building permit. As a compromise to those who wanted a more traditional approach, Frederick Hart, who placed third in the original design competition, was commissioned to augment the memorial with Three Soldiers, also known as The Three Servicemen. The three slightly larger than life bronze figures, of purposely identifiable ethnicities but unidentifiable service branch, stand approximately 8-feet tall. The lead soldier was modeled after a 21-year-old Marine who was stationed in the Washington, D.C. area in 1983. The soldier carrying the machine gun on his shoulder was modeled after a Cuban-American, and the African-American is a composite of several young men who the sculptor used as models. Lin protested at the proposed adulteration of her design, which resulting in its disconnected setting, even though the statue and wall appear to interact with each other--the soldiers look off in tribute to the distant names of their fallen comrades. Further lobbying led to the Vietnam Women's Memorial, which was dedicated on Veteran's Day, 1993, just a short distance south of the wall. Glenna Goodacre's sculptural group commemorates the women of the United States who served in the Vietnam War, most of whom were nurses. In 2007, the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial was ranked #10 on the AIA 150 America's Favorite Architecture list. National Register #01000285 (2001)

Photos from visiting the large bronze Albert Einstein statue outside of the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, DC.

See the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, World War II Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Roosevelt, and Martin Luther King Memorials in Washington DC USA

Explore the famous Washington, DC landmarks. From the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials to the iconic Washington Monument, these are some of the many important landmarks in Washington DC.

Explore David Paul Ohmer's 4059 photos on Flickr!

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The most Instagrammable places in Washington DC from The Lincoln Memorial to Blagden Alley, US Arboretum to The Capitol Building, discover them all here!

Any use of this photo must include credit to Ryan McFarland and a link to www.zieak.com

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A guide to the USA Capital of Washington DC, including major sights, must visit restaurants, and bars with a view.

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A private elopement held at the DC War Memorial in Washington, DC with photographs by Alicia Lacey Photography.

We didn't expect to like Washington D.C. but if there's one thing we learned in our travels it is that anywhere can surprise you. What surprised us about

Ranked #4 of 836 attractions in Washington DC. Been here too? Add it to your map!

Discover the best night tours in Washington DC: #1 Washington DC Monuments by Moonlight Tour by Trolley, #2 Small Group National Mall Night Tour with 10 Top Attractions, #3 DC Ghosts By US Ghost Adventures...

If you are looking to plan a wedding in Washington DC, one of the best wedding venues on the National Mall is the Jefferson Memorial. Learn how to plan a wedding at the Jefferson Memorial on the blog!

Jetting off to DC for the weekend? Don't leave for your trip without my list of 10 places you must visit on a weekend trip to Washington, DC.

Check out my 5-day Washington DC itinerary full of the best things to do in DC, the best places to eat, the scoop on the Washington DC metro, and much more!

Composed of circular marble steps, a portico, a circular colonnade of Ionic order columns, and a shallow dome, the building is open to the elements. Pope made references to the Roman Pantheon and Jefferson's own design for the Rotunda at the University of Virginia. It is situated in West Potomac Park, on the shore of the Tidal Basin of the Potomac River. The Jefferson Memorial, and the White House located directly north, form one of the main anchor points in the area of the National Mall in D.C. The Washington Monument, just east of the axis on the national Mall, was intended to be located at the intersection of the White House and the site for the Jefferson Memorial to the south, but soft swampy ground which defied 19th century engineering required it be sited to the east. The interior of the memorial has a 19-foot (5.8 m) tall, 10,000 lb (4336 kg) bronze statue of Jefferson by sculptor Rudulph Evans showing Jefferson looking out toward the White House. This statue was added four years after the dedication. The interior walls are engraved with passages from Jefferson's writings. Most prominent are the words which are inscribed in a frieze below the dome: "I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man." This sentence is taken from a September 23, 1800, letter by Jefferson to Dr. Benjamin Rush wherein he defends the constitutional refusal to recognize a state religion. 

You can't leave the WWII Memorial in Washington D.C until you find Kilroy! The quirky, yet significant, addition to this beautiful memorial.

All the things to do in a Washington DC Weekend with friends. Travel, sites to see, photography, and restaurants to create plenty of memories.