The Washington Monument is 555 feet tall, according to the National Park Service measurement.
The obelisk on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., commemorates George Washington, the Continental Army commander and first president of the United States. Its height makes it one of the most recognizable landmarks associated with the nation’s founding era.
Construction began on July 4, 1848, but work stopped in 1854 because of financial and political difficulties. Construction resumed in 1877, and the monument was completed in 1884. The change in stone between the lower and upper sections reflects the long interruption.
Some sources give a height of about 554 feet because of later geodetic measurements and changes around the entrance. The commonly cited National Park Service figure is 555 feet, making it the canonical trivia answer for the monument’s height.