The 10 Tallest Landmarks in the United States
No matter where you travel to in the United States, there are amazing things to see on your travels. One thing that many people like to do when they visit new destinations is to see the local monuments and landmarks. Each landmark has a unique history and interesting features that make them worthwhile places to see. One feature that makes a landmark notable is its size, and here are the 10 tallest landmarks in the United States.
10. Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C., 98 Feet
Located in Washington, D.C., the Lincoln Memorial is a 98-foot stone structure that houses a 62-foot statue of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States. The building is a Greek-style Doric temple with stone columns. An interesting feature of the landmark is the two inscriptions of famous speeches made by Lincoln, including his second inaugural address and The Gettysburg Address. This memorial is the site of Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous ‘I Have a Dream’ speech.
9. Teardrop Memorial, New Jersey, 100 Feet
The Teardrop Memorial is also known as ‘To the Struggle Against World Terrorism’. It is a ten-story structure created by sculptor Zurab Tsereteli. The 100-foot bronze-clad tower has a jagged opening in the middle, and in the opening, there is a 40-foot, nickel-surfaced teardrop. It was an official gift from the Russian government in memory of those who died in the 9/11 attack and the World Trade Center bombing in 1993.
8. Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Washington, D.C., 127 Feet
The Thomas Jefferson Memorial was built between 1939 and 1943, and it is 127-feet tall. Within the domed memorial, there is a 19-foot statue of Thomas Jefferson that weighs five tons. As its name suggests, the memorial was built to commemorate President Thomas Jefferson, who was known as the leader of the people of the United States, and he made a significant contribution to shaping the country into what it has become today.
7. Bunker Hill Monument, Boston, 220 Feet
The Bunker Hill Monument was built to commemorate the 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill, which was one of the first major battles fought against England. It is a granite structure that was erected in Charlestown between 1825 and 1843. The granite was repurposed from the Granite Railway in nearby Quincy. At the base of the monument is an exhibit lodge, and there are 294 steps to the top of the structure where visitors can enjoy panoramic views.
6. Pilgrim Monument, Massachusetts, 252 Feet
The Pilgrim Monument is in Provincetown, Massachusetts. The 252-foot monument was built between 1907 and 1910, and it is dedicated to the landing of the first Mayflower Pilgrims in 1620. Cape Cod Pilgrim Memorial Association funded the construction of the granite structure. Visitors can go into the museum at the base of the structure before climbing the monument to enjoy views of the surrounding area.
5. Statue of Liberty, New York, 305 Feet
Not only is the Statue of Liberty the fifth tallest landmark in the United States at 305-feet, but it is also one of the most iconic statues in the world. It was a gift from France to the Americas’ people, representing freedom. The statue is also considered a way of welcoming immigrants who arrive by sea. It is a statue based on Libertas, the Roman goddess of liberty. She wears a crown with seven spikes that represent the seven continents. In her left hand, she holds an inscription of the date of the US Declaration of independence, and she holds a torch above her head with her other hand. French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi designed the statue, and Gustave Eiffel built the metal framework.
4. Mount Rushmore, South Dakota, 506 Feet
At just under 506-feet, Mount Rushmore in South Dakota is the fourth tallest landmark in the United States. It is carved into an area known to the Lakota Sioux as The Six Grandfathers of Cougar Mountain, says Time Out. Sculptor Gutzon Borglum took 14 years to carve out the faces of four former presidents, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. The 60-foot heads were completed in 1941. Initially, the plan was to carve the presidents from the waist up. However, the project was abandoned early due to a lack of funding.
3. The Washington Memorial Monument, Washington, D.C., 554 Feet
The Washington Memorial Monument in Washington, D.C., was built to commemorate the United States’ first president, George Washington. At 554-feet, it is the third tallest landmark in the United States, the tallest structure made predominantly of stone and the world’s tallest obelisk. The tower was built between 1848 and 1884, and the reason it took so long to build was that there was a 23-year delay due to the American Civil War. Until 1889, it was the world’s tallest structure.
2. San Jacinto Monument, Texas, 570 Feet
One of the most famous events in the history of Texas is the Battle of San Jacinto. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the battle, the San Jacinto Battle Ground State Historic Site was built between 1936 and 1939, and it features the San Jacinto Monument. The monument has been designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Measuring 570-feet, it is the second tallest monument in the United States and the tallest column monument in the world. At the base of the monument, there is a museum focusing on significant historical events in Texas.
1. The Gateway Arch, Missouri, 630 Feet
According to USA by Numbers, the tallest landmark in the United States is The Gateway Arch in Missouri, which stands proud at 630-feet. A nationwide competition was held between 1947 and 1948 to design a local monument for the area. The contest was won by architect Eero Saarinen, who designed a bridge that tells the history of the United States of America and the contributions made by Native Americans, pioneers, rebels, and explorers. Although construction of the bridge took place between 1963 and 1965, it did not open to the public until 1967.