DK Travel : Washington, D.C.

A symbol of democracy the world over and the seat of American government, Washington, D.C. confronts visitors with stirring icons and monuments at every turn. This sparkling self-styled city on the Potomac River is full of marble and light, with beautiful landscaping touches and centuries-old architecture. Built on top of former swampland, Washington was deliberately designed into quadrants, with the US Capitol at its hub. Its many unmissable sights provide unparalleled access to the workings of government, internationally famed museums with priceless exhibits, and the cultural and spiritual foundations of the city and the nation.

US Botanic Garden

Long valued by Capitol Hill residents as a quiet retreat, the Botanic Garden conservatory is better than ever after its recent four-year restoration. The 4,000 living plants here are arranged into themes and biosystems, such as Plant Exploration, Jungle, Oasis, Medicinal Plants, and many others. The wedge-shaped National Garden, adjacent to the west, includes glorious outdoor displays in a water garden, a rose garden, and a showcase garden.
US Botanic Garden

The gleaming glass-walled conservatory building is a beautiful home for this “living plant museum.” Microclimates, such as desert, oasis, and jungle, reveal the variety and beauty of plant adaptations. Don’t miss the primitive ferns and other plants dating back 150 million years. Outside is the variegated National Garden with an environmental learning center.
US Capitol

Symbolizing both government power and the control of that power by the people, the Capitol crowns the east end of the National Mall (see Events in the US Capitol’s History).
US Navy Memorial

The fountains that surround this plaza contain recirculated water from all the seven seas. Flagstaffs suggest the rigging of a tall ship.
US Navy Memorial

The centerpiece of this delightful public space is a granite floor – a huge map of the world surrounded by fountains. A statue, dubbed “The Lone Sailor,” overlooks the expanse. A free film shows daily at noon.
Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial

This simple structure – a V-shaped black granite wall on which are carved the names of those who died in this divisive war – has moved millions of visitors. The memorial, built in 1982, is the work of Maya Lin, at the time a 21-year-old architecture student at Yale.
Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial

This stark remembrance features a black polished wall on which are carved the names of those who died during the Vietnam War. Controversial when it opened, because of its minimalism and because it failed to glorify the war, the memorial has become one of the world’s most popular. Its creator, Maya Lin, was a 21-year-old Chinese-American student when she completed the design. More traditional statues were added in 1984.
View from top of the Washington Monument

The view from the 555 ft high (170 m) monument (see Jefferson Memorial) is spectacular. The ride in the elevator is interesting because high-tech windows become transparent or opaque in a wink.
Voice of America

Most of VOA’s programming, broadcasting US news around the world, is created at these studios.
Walter E. Washington

Mayor of Washington from 1974–8, the first elected mayor in the city for over 100 years.