Jefferson Memorial

The Thomas Jefferson Memorial sits on the southern bank of the Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C., built between 1939 and 1943 to honor the third president and principal author of the Declaration of Independence. Its circular, colonnaded design and shallow dome deliberately echo the Pantheon in Rome as well as Jefferson's own domed design for his Virginia home, Monticello, reflecting his lifelong admiration for classical architecture. A bronze statue of Jefferson stands at the center of the open interior, surrounded by engraved excerpts from his writings that set out his political philosophy, including passages from the Declaration of Independence. The memorial's setting among Japanese cherry trees planted around the Tidal Basin has made its annual bloom one of the most photographed views in Washington.