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This fabulous structure lies at Tidal Basin, South Bank, and forms a north-south axis with the White House. It was dedicated on 13th April 1943, the 200th anniversary of Jefferson's death, by President Roosevelt. Jefferson's love for classical architecture was well known, and this inspired John Russell Pope to adapt Rome's Pantheon. Jefferson was actually an amateur architect himself, and had several smaller but similar structures at his home, Monticello and at the University of Virginia. A beautiful cherry tree-filled plaza overlooks the Tidal Basin, and stairs lead up through a portico, surrounded by a colonnade encircling an open centre. Members of the all-important Declaration of Independence, including Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Livingston, John Adams and Roger Sherman, all stand proud, being supported by the pediment. The central bronze figure of Jefferson was created by Rudolph Evans, and stands at an impressive 5.8m. Various extracts from his many writings and speeches are carved into the nearby walls. The F.D.R memorial lies nearby, and here you can find sculptures of Franklin Delano and Eleanor Roosevelt, and various others depicting events from the Great Depression and World War II. Overall, these memorials are very much worth a visit, and both convey a very important part of American history. Admission is free, and both are normally open to the public during daylight hours. |