Washington D.C. is well-known for its monuments and memorials. Throughout the national mall, you’ll find meaningful tributes to our national heroes from founding fathers to war veterans. You can see their own words inscribed in history, learn more about their lives, and find in their memorials quiet places to reflect and refresh. 

The National World War II Memorial is just such a place, and it is frequented by residents and tourists alike for its artistic setting, soothing fountains, and powerful tribute.

The soothing yet powerful design of this memorial was very deliberate. Its architects wanted to blend a modern feel with the neoclassical architecture in so many structures around it, like the Lincoln Memorial nearby. The Washington Monument towers directly above it, and together they create perhaps the most prominent landmark in the city.

The memorial has several parts besides its refreshing fountains. The freedom wall is a beautiful tribute to the more than 400,000 American lives lost during the war, each represented by a raised gold star. Pillars within the memorial’s design represent the Atlantic and the Pacific. Between those rest smaller pillars representing each of the 48 states in 1945, plus the territories of Hawaii and Alaska and the various commonwealths of the United States.

All of these components flow together as effortlessly as the water from the fountains. And yet, great effort went into the design and strength of the memorial. That effort is a tribute itself to the lives that are honored there. And the joy and refreshment visitors gain from the memorial every day is yet another way to honor those who died.

Washington D.C. student tours are some of the most popular in the nation. And the National World War II Memorial is just one of the many reasons why.

Photo Credit: Mo Kaiwen on 莫楷文 on Flickr