What is the height of the Washington Monument above ground?

The Washington Monument rises 555 feet 5⅛ inches above the ground.

The obelisk in Washington, D.C., honors George Washington, the Continental Army commander and first U.S. president. Its design was selected through a competition won by architect Robert Mills. Construction began in 1848, stopped for years because of political and financial difficulties, and resumed in 1877.

The monument was completed in 1884 and dedicated in 1885. It was built from marble, granite, and bluestone gneiss. A visible change in the stone’s color marks the point where construction paused and later resumed, creating one of the structure’s most recognizable features.

The Washington Monument was the world’s tallest building when it was completed, but the Eiffel Tower surpassed it in 1889. Its stated height is often rounded to 555 feet, while the exact architectural measurement is 555 feet 5⅛ inches. It remains one of the most recognizable landmarks associated with the American capital.