District of Columbia War Memorial, War memorial in West Potomac Park, United States
The District of Columbia War Memorial is a circular marble structure in the Greek Revival style with twelve Doric columns supporting a domed roof that reaches about 14 meters (47 feet). The temple sits in a wooded section of the park surrounded by footpaths and lawns.
Congress authorized the structure in 1924, but the dedication ceremony only took place on Armistice Day in 1931, seven years later. The delay resulted from discussions about location and design.
The structure honors a city that had no voting representation in Congress at the time, making the authorization process longer than expected. Military branch medallions on the base show the different services in which local volunteers served during the conflict.
The National Park Service maintains the site year-round with no admission fee and no fixed opening hours. Park pathways lead directly to the structure, which remains lit in the evening.
The twelve columns were originally intended to function as an open bandstand, not just as a memorial. This dual purpose explains the unusual architecture compared to other monuments in the city.
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