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NATIONAL MALL
The National Mall is an open-area national park in downtown Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. It is the site of gardens and other greenery along with many Smithsonian museums, national monuments and memorials. The National Mall refers specifically to the land stretching from the grounds of the Washington Monument to the United States Capitol directly to the east. However, the term commonly includes the areas that are officially part of West Potomac Park and Constitution Gardens to the west, and often is taken to refer to the entire area between the Lincoln Memorial and the Capitol, with the Washington Monument providing a division slightly west of the center.
The idea for the National Mall was originally conceived by Pierre Charles L'Enfant in his plans for the city of Washington, D.C., created in 1791. However, his ideas were not realized until the beginning of the 20th century, with the McMillan Commission plan, which was also inspired by the City Beautiful Movement. Among other things, the McMillan plan called for moving the main railroad station, from a site on the National Mall, to its present location at Union Station.
Today, the Mall is one of the most popular places in the city for tourism. As well, the mall is the site of many protests and demonstrations, including very large marches and rallies, such as the March on Washington in 1963, and the Million Man March in 1995. Annually on July 4th, the Capitol Fourth celebration takes place at the U.S. Capitol end of the mall, with a fireworks display. It is also used as a reference to give Americans an idea of the area of extremely small countries, such as Monaco and Vatican City.
Dimensions
Landmarks of the National Mall
This USGS satellite image of the National Mall (proper) was taken April 26, 2002. The Capitol and surrounding grounds on the right were pixellated before release, presumably for security reasons.
- Further information: Constitution Gardens and West Potomac Park
Other nearby attractions
Other attractions within walking distance of the Mall include the Library of Congress and the United States Supreme Court to the east behind the Capitol; the White House (on a line directly north of the Jefferson Memorial), the National Archives, the Old Post Office, the National Theater, Ford's Theater, and the Albert Einstein Memorial to the north; the National Postal Museum, and Union Station to the northeast; and the Jefferson Memorial (on a line directly south of the White House), the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, the George Mason Memorial, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to the south.
The Mall, in combination with the other attractions in the Washington metropolitan area, makes the nation's capital city one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. The Smithsonian (Washington Metro) stop can be used to get to the Mall. Parking is also available south of the mall, accessible directly south of the Lincoln Memorial.
Protests and rallies on the Mall
The Mall's status as a wide, open expanse at the heart of the capital makes it an attractive site for protests and rallies of all types. One notable example is the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, a massive rally for African-American civil rights, at which Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous "I have a dream" speech. The largest officially recorded rally was the Vietnam War Moratorium Rally on October 15, 1969. Although larger rallies may have occurred since that time, the United States Park Police no longer release official estimates of crowd sizes on the Mall. One later rally that is claimed to have been the largest rally on the Mall was the 2004 March for Women's Lives.
Transportation
The National Mall is accessible via Washington Metro, with the Smithsonian station located on the south side of the mall, near the Smithsonian Institution Building and between the Washington Monument and Capitol Hill. The Federal Triangle, Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter, and Union Station metro stations are also located near the mall, to the north. L'Enfant Plaza, Federal Center Southwest and Capitol South metro stations are located a few blocks south of the mall.
The Metro bus and DC Circulator travel and stop around the National Mall.
External links
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