Washington, D.C., is the capital of the United States, named after the first American president, George Washington. All the major administrative and government buildings of the United States are located here—the White House, the headquarters of Congress, the Department of Defense, as well as the State Department, the Supreme Court, and other influential organizations.

There are no skyscrapers in Washington, D.C.—buildings taller than the Capitol (55 meters) are prohibited.

Washington, D.C., is an independent administrative division and is not the capital of any state. Another name for the District of Columbia is Washington.

Entertainment and Attractions
Washington, D.C., has numerous museums and other attractions; it would take several weeks to see them all. The National Mall is Washington’s pride and joy. It contains all the major monuments and landmarks of the American capital. From the air, the alley is shaped like a cross: the White House is to the north, the Jefferson Memorial is to the south, the Capitol is to the east, the Lincoln Memorial is to the west, and the Washington Monument is in the center.

The Washington Monument is a gigantic granite stele faced with marble. Before the construction of the Eiffel Tower, it was the tallest structure in the world (170 meters).

The Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials are considered outstanding architectural landmarks. The Lincoln Memorial is designed in the style of an ancient Greek temple, with a colonnade of 36 columns—the number of states that had united at the time of the president’s death. In the center is a statue of Lincoln, proudly seated on a massive chair, gazing toward the Capitol. The Jefferson Memorial is built in the style of an ancient Greek pantheon: in the center of the marble rotunda is a statue of the “Founding Father” of the United States, and an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence is carved into the wall.

The Library of Congress is considered the largest library in the world. It houses a unique collection of books.

The Washington National Cathedral, built in the Gothic style, is considered the largest Catholic cathedral in the Western Hemisphere.
Museums

The Smithsonian Castle is a magnificent Gothic mansion that now houses the Smithsonian Institution. It also houses a tourist information center where you can purchase maps, guidebooks, and audio guides in various languages.

The National Mall is home to a museum complex that includes the National Museum of Natural History, the United States Holocaust History Museum, the National Gallery of Art, the Newsroom and Journalism Museum, the National Museum of the American Indian, and many other museums (11 in total).