Existing comment:
The Outside Story:
Have you ever wondered why the Washington Monument is two colors? Masons used a bright white marble from a Maryland quarry in the first construction phase. Builders completed the monument in the 1880s with marble from another quarry. Wind and rain have weathered the stones differently, making the color change more dramatic over time.
The triangular pyramidion slants at a 73-degree angle.
The monument stands at 555 feet and 5-1/8 inches high and has about 36,000 stones.
The stone changes color at 150 feet.
Did You Know?
The monument weighs about 81,000 tons -- as much as 6,480 school buses.
A strong foundation keeps the monument upright. |