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What is beneath the Washington Monument?

What is beneath the Washington Monument?

You can follow Atlas Obscura on Facebook or on Twitter. Unknown to most passersby, there’s a 12-foot-tall replica of the Washington Monument under a manhole near the actual monument. Officially known as “Bench Mark A,” this underground oddity is actually a Geodetic Control Point that’s used by surveyors.

Is Washington Monument part of a burial ground?

Despite its name, the Washington Monument isn’t where U.S. President George Washington was buried. Instead, Washington and his wife were buried on the grounds of their home, known as Mount Vernon. Simply put, a landmark is a commemorative, historic site, often built to honor important figures who have passed on.

How deep is the Washington Monument Foundation?

37 feet
The enormous size of the obelisk – so great that the site originally selected for it couldn’t safely carry its weight — is borne by a 16,000 square-foot foundation that weighs almost 37,000 tons and is nearly 37 feet deep.

Can the Washington Monument fit inside the National Cathedral?

The ceilings are 102 feet high, and the cathedral’s exterior is almost as long as two football fields. “Did you know,” volunteer Charles Wells offers, “that if you laid the Washington Monument on its side, it would fit inside the center aisle?” Yes, the National Cathedral — formally, it’s the Cathedral Church of St.

Why does the Washington Monument have roots?

One day around 1890, the seed of a white mulberry tree, perhaps borne from the droppings of a passing bird, fell on the grounds of the newly dedicated Washington Monument. It germinated, grew and sank thick roots into the earth.

Where is Washington’s grave?

George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Mount Vernon, VA
George Washington/Place of burial

George Washington’s final resting place is a tomb on his Mount Vernon estate. The remains of his wife, Martha Dandridge Custis, as well as 25 other family members, are also entombed there.